Nepal

This book presents the English translation of Sylvain Lévi’s monumental three-volume work, Le Népal: Etude Historique d’un Royaume Hindou (1905), originally published in French. While the present translation encompasses Books I and II, Book III, consisting solely of inscriptions, has been omitted.

At the time of Lévi’s visit, Nepal was a kingdom, a status it maintained from the Licchavi period (5th century) until 2008, when the monarchy was abolished. While the title “Historical Study of a Hindu Kingdom” may appear anachronistic today, it faithfully reflects the original work’s context, written over 120 years ago when Nepal was a Hindu kingdom. Changing the title due to the country’s political transformation would be inappropriate. Rulers and regimes come and go, but nations endure. This book, therefore, serves as a unique window into Nepal’s past, offering a glimpse rarely available to contemporary readers.