"Rai and Kirat"

Nepal is a very ancient country,ruled by many dynasties.Among many Kirat rule is taken as a very significant one,being the longest period that extended from pre-historic to historic period.In ancient Hindu scriptures,nepal is referred as the "Kirat desh" or "the land of kirats".

When the 28th kirat king paruka was ruling in the valley,the sombanshi ruler attacked his regime many times from the west.Although he successfully repelled their attacks, he was forced to move to shankhamal from Gokarna.He had builted a royal palace called "Patuka".there for himself.The patuka palace is no more to be seen,except its ruin in the form of mound."Patuka" had changed shankhumal into a beautiful town.The last king of the kirat dynasty was Gasti.He proved to be the weak ruler and was overthrown by the somanbanshi ruler Nimisha.It brought to the end of the powerful kirat dynasty that had lasted for about 1225 years.

After their defeat,Kirats moved to the eastern hills of nepal and settled down divided into small principalities.Their settlements were divided into three regions;namely ,'Wallo-kirant' ; or 'near kirant' that lay to the east of kathmandu "majh kirat" or "central kirat" and "pallo-kirat" that lay to the far east of the kathmandu valley.These regions are still heavely populated by kirat.Khambu are the inhabitants of near and central kirat.Although they are also quite densely populated in "Pallo-kirat".

By religion,kirats were originally nature worshippers.They worshipped ancestors and nature such as rivers , tress , animals , and stones etc.Their primeval ancestors are paruhangnand sumnima.Hinduism was introduced to and imposed on the kirats only after the conquest of gorkhali rulers whose root was in india.Kirats were quite tolerent and liberal to other religion.That was why Buddhism flourished during the kirat rule in nepal.

Renowed rai people:----------->

Two senior cabinet ministers
----Narad Muni Thulung and Bal Bahadur rai-acted as Prime ministers of nepal
indian chief Minister of Sikkim---
Pawan Kumar chamling
Indian member of parliament
---Prem Das Rai
Former chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy -
Lian Singh Bangal (Nachirring)
From Government Secretary and Chairman of Public Service Commission-Santa Bahadur Rai
Former ambassador ,
Diplomat and scholar
Professor -Dr.Nobel kishor Rai
Writer and Poet---Pradip rai(national anthem writeer)
Plastic surgeon---Shankar Man Rai
Artist (singer)--Rajesh payal rai and Dhiraj Rai and Sabin Rai
Voice-chairmen of the UML party--Ashok rai
Cheif of kathmandu metropolitan office--Ganesh rai
AGIP---Durja kumar rai(Nepal armed police force)
AIGP---Ram Kaji Bantawa
DIGP---Ganesh raj Rai(Traffic department)
DIGP------Gyanendra rai
Cheif of intelligence department---Chand Bahadur rai
Scholar of VEDAS-DR.Swami prapannacharya
Assam Assembly Government Speaker---Tanka bahadur rai,Vishal rai
First king of kirat Dynasty---Yelamber

-------------------collected by Sachin.