Kirateen Page

Do you have Kirat heritage, or have you visited a Sakela festival? Share your story in the comments below! Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes. The term "Kirateen" is used here as a collective ethnographic term; specific customs vary widely between Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, and Sunuwar subgroups.

Because it is oral, the rhythm and chanting of the Mundhum are considered the heartbeat of Kirat culture. The Kirateen are animists. They do not worship idols in temples; rather, they worship nature—the sun, the moon, the river, and specific sacred stones ( Sila ). kirateen

According to the Gopal Raj Vamsavali (a ancient chronicle of Nepal), the Kirateen kings reigned for approximately 1,225 years (roughly 800 BCE to 300 CE). Their most famous king, , is a mythical hero who is said to have attended the great Kurukshetra war (the setting of the Bhagavad Gita ). The city of "Yala" (the original Newari name for Patan) is named after him. Do you have Kirat heritage, or have you

Even today, the Pashupatinath Temple —the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal—has a priest who must be a Bhandari (of Kirat origin), honoring that ancient legacy. Unlike Hindus who follow the Vedas or Christians who follow the Bible, the Kirateen follow the Mundhum (or Mundum ). The term "Kirateen" is used here as a

The next time you sip a cup of Dhankuta tea or trek through the Arun Valley, remember the Kirateen. They are not a footnote in history; they are the living spine of the Eastern Himalayas.

Often called the "Lion People" for their fierce independence and bravery, the Kirateen hold a unique chapter in history: they are the first recorded rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, mentioned in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata .