KATMANDU 187
their retreat before Lord Lake, bombarded the town and fort and
expelled the Alwar garrison. It was this army which was annihilated
three days later at LASWARI. Just before the battle the tahsil of
Kathumar had been granted to the Maharaja of Bharatpur) but as he
broke his engagements with the British, it was resumed lrt 1805 and
ceded to Alwar.
Katiadi.-Village in the Kishorganj subdivision of Mymensingh
District, Eastern Bengal and Assam, situated in 24° 15′ N. and 90°
48′ E. Population (1901), 1,472. It is one of the most frequented
bazars in the south of the District.
Katihar.-Town in the head-quarters subdivision of Purnea District,
Bengal, situated in 25° 34′ N. and 87° 35′ E. Population (1901), 9,761.
Katihar, which was formerly known as Saifganj, is an important railway
junction, at which the Bengal and North-Western. Railway meets the
Bihar section of the Eastern Bengal State Railway. The latter is
continued to Manihari Ghat on the Ganges, whence a steamer plies to
Sakrigali, establishing communication also with the East Indian Railway.
There is a large export of rice and mustard seed. ' The town is the
head-quarters of the sheep-breeding trade, and rough blankets are
manufactured by a colony of Gareris settled there.
Katmandu.-Capital of the kingdom of Nepal, situated towards
the western side of the Nepal Valley, on the east bank of the Vishnu-
mati river, at its junction with the Baghmati ; approximate position,
27° 42′ N., 85° 12′ E. It is the largest city in Nepal, and has a popu
lation which is roughly estimated at. from 70,000 to 80,000. Most of
the inhabitants are Newars, of whom about two-thirds are Buddhists.
Katmandu is said to have been founded by Raja Giinakamadeva about
A.D. 723. The earliest name by which the city was known was Manju
Patan, after the Buddhist saint Manjusri. Tradition asserts- that 'the
plain of Katmandu was covered by .a great lake, till the saint, cut the
dam'with his sword and so released the water.
The' general shape of the city is very irregular, and is supposed by
the I4indus to resemble the khara or sword of the goddess Devi-, while
the Buddhist Newars declare it to have been built after the shape of the
sword of Manjasri. Its modern name is said to be derived from, an
ancient building which stands in the heart of the city. near the royal
palace, and which . is still known as Katmandu from kit, 'wood' (of
which material it is chiefly composed), and mandi or mandon, ' an
edifice.' This building was erected by Raja Lachmina Singh Mal, in
1596, as a 'house of accommodation for religious mendicants. Prior to
the Gurkha conquest of the country in 1769, Katmandu was the seat
of government of 'Newar kings who, with the princes of the neighbour-
ing towns of Patan and Bhdtgaon; reigned over the Valley of Nepal
and -adjacent country (see NEPXL). ' Of the high walls, with their
VOL. XV. N
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