Nepal Bhasha

“Newari” is vulgar term for the true name “Nepalbhasa” or “Nepalese”
– Dharmaditya Dharmacharya
(in a letter to Silvan Levi)

The Newars talk Nepal Bhasha, the Sino-Tibetan group’s Himalayan language of Tibetan-Burman branch. It was wrongly called by Nepal’s Westerners and non-Newars by the word ‘ Newari.’ It has been known as Nepal Bhasha since the very start of Nepal’s history. Research results on this language show that Nepal Bhasha shares the characteristic of Northen Himalayan Kirant and Tibetan dialects. Native speakers ‘ colloquial word is Newaah Bhaaye. It is made up of five main dialects and several subdialects spoken throughout the nation by Newars.

Historical proof shows that many words from Nepal Bhasa are discovered in inscriptions from Lichhivi. The writings on this language were therefore presumed to have been resumed from the early Malla era (9th century) and accepted as Nepal’s government language. The date was published in Nepal Bhasa-(Kwoyeya pwalam mikhaya pwalam sambat nepalaya thuli) in the manuscript of’ Nidan’ (901 A.D.). The final line of the manuscript’ Tathagat Guhyak’ (1104 A.D.) indicates Sidhayeka juro (which ends here). There is also a lengthy description published in the Guthi records (1114 A.D.) discovered in Rudravarna Mahavihar in Lalitpur. Nepal Bhasa was used as an autonomous language of speech from the very start of the 12th century. The most ancient landmarks in Nepal Bhasa are the stone inscriptions discovered in the courtyard of Vajrayogini Temple of Sankhu (dated 1173 A.D) and the copper inscription discovered in Kasthamandap (dated 1374 A.D.)

Nepalbhasa’s oldest book (manuscript) discovered so far is’ Guhya Kali Puja Bidhi ‘ (1280 AD). Before it was discovered,’ Haramekhala’ (1374 A.D.), a medicinal book translated from Bengal Poet Madhuk’s Prakrit language book, was regarded to be the earliest book of Nepalbhasa. The other books discovered during this era are Nyayashastra (1380 A.D.), Putrapautradibodhini (1381 A.D.), Amarakosh (1386 A.D.) and so on. The 947A.D. Vanshavali Gopalraj. (Chronicle) is the first initial Nepalbhasa book from which the first 16 pages are still missing and pages 17 to 30 (A) use Sanskrit while Nepal Bhasha is used in pages 30(B) to 63.

In astrological book published in Nepalbhasa, Dashaphala (1399A.D.), Bhasajyotis (1422 A.D.), Sumatikarana (1512 A.D.) and others may be cited. Dashakarma Paddati’ (1498 A.D.) is Nepalbhasa’s oldest ritual book. After’ Bhagwat Puran’ (1505 A.D.), creative literature in Nepalbhasa starts from’ Tantrakhyan’ (1518 A.D.).

Creative Literature at a Glance

First Story Book – Tantrakhyan (1518 A.D.)
First Song – Walangata Simule Swambaraya (In reign of Pranmol malla, 1523-1550 A.D.)
First One-act Play – Ekadashi Brata (1633A.D.) by Sidhhinarasingha Malla
First Drama – Mooldev Shashidev by Jagat Prakash Malla (1645-1673 A.D.)

Source: Census of Nepal, 1991