Itumbahal
The Sanskrit name of Itumbahal, ‘Bhaskardeva Sanskarita Keshchandra Krita Parawarta Mahavihar’ is a clue, which explains the historicity of Itumbahal.
The legendry figure Keshchandra who has believed to have constructed, Itumbahal is still elusive. Some historians date him about the 11th century AD. In those days Kathmandu is under the rule of king Bahasrkardeva of Nuwakot. Keshchandra was a gambler son of Bhaskardeva, a Thakuri king of Nuwakot, once he lost everything in gambling, disheartened, he went to the jungle, to be returned with sack full of Gold, then he established huge monastery and named it as “Bhaskardeva Sanskarita Keshchandra Krita Parawarta Mahavihara” The nearest meaning of this Sanskrit name is as follows: – ‘The pigeon monastery founded by Keshchandra with the patronage of Bhaskardeva’ earlier this monastery is familier as Suvarna Mahavihar. Besides the Sanskrit name of Itumbahal, we didn’t have any authentic evidence about the founding of Itumbahal by Keshchandra himself during the time of Bhaskardeva.
Itumbaha_BFA 2nd year_pen and ink
