Kirtipur : Strung out along a ridge 5km southwest of Kathmandu, the small town of Kirtipur retains an unhurried, timeless air despite its proximity to the capital. Its impressive but little-visited temples point to a golden age that has long passed.
During the 1768/9 conquest of the valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah it was clear that Kirtipur, with its superbly defensible hilltop position, would be the key to defeating the Malla kingdoms, so it was here the Gorkha king struck first and hardest. Kirtipur's resistance was strong, but eventually, after a bitter siege, the town was taken and the inhabitants paid a terrible price for their courageous resistance. The king, incensed by the long struggle his forces had endured, ordered that the nose and lips be cut off every male inhabitant in the town. Fortunately for a small minority, he was practical as well as cruel, and those who could play wind instruments were spared. Source : lonely Panet
During the 1768/9 conquest of the valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah it was clear that Kirtipur, with its superbly defensible hilltop position, would be the key to defeating the Malla kingdoms, so it was here the Gorkha king struck first and hardest. Kirtipur's resistance was strong, but eventually, after a bitter siege, the town was taken and the inhabitants paid a terrible price for their courageous resistance. The king, incensed by the long struggle his forces had endured, ordered that the nose and lips be cut off every male inhabitant in the town. Fortunately for a small minority, he was practical as well as cruel, and those who could play wind instruments were spared. Source : lonely Panet
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