Limbuwan

Limbuwan
ᤕᤠᤀᤷᤓᤢᤅ ᤗᤠᤈᤣ
Country   Nepal
Nepal regionEastern Nepal
Area
 • Total
6,316 sq mi (16,358 km2)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
387,300[1]

Limbuwan is an area of the Himalayan region historically made up of 10 Limbu kingdoms, now part of eastern Nepal. Limbuwan means "abode of the Limbus" or "Land of the Limbus".[2] Limbuwan was incorporated into the Kingdom of Nepal by means of a collective Gorkha-Limbuwan Treaty with the kings of the ten Limbuwan kingdoms and their ministers.

The ten kingdoms formed after the great revolution of Limbuwan in the 6th century. It was collectively decided[by whom?] to name the land by the name of "Limbuwan." The current state of Limbu nation, culture, language and ethnicity is believed to have taken shape during this period. The northern boundary was fixed to be in Tibet, the southern boundary in Jalalgarh in Bihar, the eastern boundary at the river Teesta and the western boundary at the Dudhkoshi River.[3]

In modern times, the boundaries of Limbuwan came to rest at the Arun river in the west and Kanchenjunga mountain and the Mechi river in the east. This area covers nine districts: Jhapa, Ilam, Panthar, Taplejung, Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Terhthum and Sankhuwashava. From the time of King Sirijunga Hang to King Mahendra of Nepal, Limbuwan enjoyed the Kipat system of land and semi or full autonomy.[4]

A political movement in Nepal has developed which claims to territorial authority for a Limbuwan federal state in Nepal’s eastern borderland.[5] Eastern Nepal and the dominant ethnic groups of that region are indigenously called Kirat.[citation needed] The land was sub-divided into three regions, namely, the Wallo, Majh and Pallo Kirat.[citation needed] Limbuwan is also called Pallo-kirat 'Further Kirat'.[6]

  1. ^ Official Summary of Census (2011), Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal Archived 2012-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ P.46 National Costumes of Nepal By Persijs Muiznieks, 23 Aug 2011
  3. ^ Chemjong, Imansingh. Kirat History and Culture.
  4. ^ Jesse, Russell (2012). Limbuwan Gorkha War.
  5. ^ P. 46. National Costumes of Nepal by Persijs Muiznieks, 23 Aug 2011.
  6. ^ P.5 Democratic Innovations in Nepal: A Case Study of Political Acculturation By Bhuwan Lal Joshi, Leo E. Rose, 1966