Nepal which nestles in the loftty terrains of the Himalayas had an area of 147181 sq kms and an estimated population of 18.25 million in 1991. In the north the majestic Everest and other high mountains separate it from Tibet but in the south the Nepalese Tarai is distinguished from the Gangetic plains only by the boundary pillars along the boundary from extreme East to extreme West. And all Nepalese rivers flow down ultimately to join the Ganges sacred to the Napalese and the Indians alike. The social history part of the book examines the impact of several social factors on Napalese history like geography racial complexion society and religion the Nepalese personality art and literature communications trade and commerce music dance and drama the position of women and the army etc. The political history part of the book starts with the ancient period and after covering the medieval period addresses itself to more recent events e.g. Nepal’s relations with the East India Company the role of the queens and Ranas political awakening King Tribhuwan’s revolution and the quest for parliamentary democracy King Mahendra’s opting for personal rule King Birendra’s legacy of the partyless panchayats. It then goes on to examine Nepal in the 1980s and the final chapter ‘A New Beginning’ brings the narrative upto the end of 1991. The book is fairly different holds its own amongst other histories of Nepal. This indepth and impartial study brings out the abiding influences of social traditions and values on historical development and treats the subject in its geopolitical setting. About the Author Bhairava Dat Sanwal was born at Lohaghat in Pithoragarh district of Uttar Pradesh. He was awarded an Honours Degree in History in London. He later joined the Indian Civil Service and retired in 1975 from the post of Chief Secretary to the U.P. Government.
