Newar in the context of "Kosala Kingdom"

Nepal Mandala (Nepali: नेपाल मण्डल) is the ancient geographic division of Nepal into different regions. It was characterised by three major divisions: “Purwanchal” (Eastern Region), “Madhyamanchal” (Central Region), and “Pashchimanchal” (Western Region). These divisions were further subdivided into smaller areas known as “Mandals.” The concept of Nepal Mandal has historical significance, reflecting the administrative and cultural organisation of the region in earlier times. It is marked by cultural, religious and political boundaries that lies in present-day central Nepal. It consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas. The rule of the indigenous Newars in Nepal Mandala ended with its conquest by the Gorkha Kingdom and the rise of the Shah dynasty in 1768.

According to the Outline History of Nepal, Nepal consisted of three kingdoms during the early medieval period: Khas in the west, Karnatak in the south and Nepal Mandala in the centre.

Lhasa Newar (or Lhasa Newah; Newar: ल्हासा नेवा) were the expatriate Newar traders and artisans who traveled between the Kathmandu Valley and Tibet from centuries ago. These Nepalese merchants conducted trade between Nepal, Tibet and Bengal, India over the Silk Road, and acted as a bridge for economic and cultural exchanges between South Asia and Central Asia.

Along with the merchants, there were colonies of artisans in various parts of Tibet who were engaged in creating Buddhist art. They were major players in the exchange of art styles across the Himalaya.

The Malla dynasty (Nepali: मल्ल वंश:; Malla vanśa) also known as the Malla confederacy, was the ruling dynasty of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal from 1201 to 1779. This dynasty was founded by Arideva Malla. Though the latter Mallas were regarded as belonging to the Raghuvamsha dynasty, they were also seen as continuations and descendants of the Licchavi dynasty. Later Malla kings also traced one section of their lineage from Nanyadeva, the founder of the Karnat dynasty of Mithila. The term Malla means wrestler in Sanskrit. The first use of the word Malla in the Kathmandu Valley began in 1201.

The Malla period stretched over 600 years, as they presided over and flourished the Newar civilization of Nepal Mandala which developed as one of the most sophisticated urban civilisations in the Himalayan foothills and a key destination on the India-Tibet trade route. During the Malla Dynasty, Nepal Bhasa was the official language, while Sanskrit and Maithili also held significant importance as literary languages during this period.

Ajima (Nepal Bhasa:अजिमा) is a group of goddesses of the Newar pantheon. These goddesses are respected by all sects and castes of Newars, both from Hindu and Buddhist religion. If we look Ajimas from sky, they look like a sword. So, it is said that the Ajimas protect Kathmandu Valley.

A paubhā (Devanagari: पौभा) is a traditional religious painting made by the Newar people of Nepal. Paubhās depict deities, mandalas or monuments, and are used to help the practitioners in meditation. The Tibetan equivalent is known as thangka. The main difference between thangka and paubhā is that thangka is exclusive to Buddhist art, while paubhā is used in both Hindu and Buddhist art traditions by the Newar community.

The traditional painters of paubhās are the Chitrakar caste who are known as Pun (पुं) in Nepal Bhasa.

Desay Maru Jhyā (Nepali: देशय् मरू झ्या) is a traditional wooden window in Kathmandu, which is celebrated for its uniqueness. The name means "window without equal in the country" in Nepal Bhasa. The window is set into the facade of a residential house in central Kathmandu.

Desay Maru Jhyā is a specimen of the woodcarving heritage of the Newar people of Nepal which goes back more than a thousand years. Newar architecture is characterised by artistic windows and doors set into bare brick walls. The intricate carvings mostly depict religious motifs, ritual objects, mythical beasts and birds. The level of design and carving of the Newar window reached its peak in the mid-18th century. They are found on palaces, private residences and sacred houses across Nepal Mandala.

Buddhism in Nepal started spreading since the reign of Ashoka through Indian and Tibetan missionaries. The Kiratas were the first people in Nepal who embraced the Buddha’s teachings, followed by the Licchavis and Newar people.Buddhism is Nepal's second-largest religion, with 8.2% of the country's population, or approximately 2.4 million people, identifying as adherents of Buddhism in a 2021 census.

Shakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini in the Shakya Kingdom. Besides Shakyamuni Buddha, there are many Buddha(s) before him who are worshipped in different parts of Nepal. Lumbini lies in present-day Rupandehi District, Lumbini zone of Nepal. Buddhism is the second-largest religion in Nepal. According to 2001 census, 10.74% of Nepal's population practiced Buddhism, consisting mainly of Tibeto-Burman speaking ethnicities and the Newar. However, in the 2011 census, Buddhists made up just 9% of the country's population.