पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा
Purāno Kāṭhamāṇḍauko Kathā
The Story of Old Kathmandu
⏱ ~15 min read · 60 sentences
1
म आज तिमीलाई पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा सुनाउँछु।
Ma āja timīlāī purāno Kāṭhamāṇḍauko kathā sunāum̐chu.
Today I will tell you the story of old Kathmandu.
2
धेरै वर्ष पहिले, काठमाडौँ एउटा सानो सहर थियो।
Dherai varṣa pahile, Kāṭhamāṇḍau ekaṭā sāno sahar thiyo.
Many years ago, Kathmandu was a small city.
3
यहाँ धेरै मन्दिर र दरबारहरू थिए।
Yahām̐ dherai mandira ra darbārahāru thi'e.
Here there were many temples and palaces.
4
मानिसहरू साना घरमा बस्थे।
Mānisaharū sānā gharamā basthē.
People lived in small houses.
5
तिनीहरूले आफ्नो दैनिक काम गर्थे।
Tinīharūle āphno dainika kām garthē.
They did their daily work.
6
काठमाडौँको बीचमा एउटा ठूलो दरबार थियो।
Kāṭhamāṇḍauko bīcamā ekaṭā ṭhūlo darbāra thiyo.
In the middle of Kathmandu there was a big palace.
7
त्यो दरबारलाई हनुमानढोका भनिन्थ्यो।
Tyo darbāralāī Hanumānḍhokā bhaninthyo.
That palace was called Hanuman Dhoka.
8
राजा त्यहाँ बस्थे।
Rājā tyahām̐ basthē.
The king lived there.
9
राजाले देशको रक्षा गर्थे।
Rājāle deśko rakṣā garthē.
The king protected the country.
10
मानिसहरूले राजालाई माया गर्थे।
Mānisaharūle rājālāī māyā garthē.
People loved the king.
11
तर, एक दिन राजाले एउटा सपना देखे।
Tara, eka dina rājāle ekaṭā sapnā dekhē.
But one day, the king had a dream.
12
सपनामा एउटा देवीले भनिन्, 'यहाँ शहर बनाऊ।'
Sapanāmā ekaṭā devīle bhanin, 'yahām̐ śahara banāū.'
In the dream, a goddess said, 'Build a city here.'
13
राजा छक्क परे।
Rājā chakka parē.
The king was surprised.
14
उनले सोचे, 'यो कस्तो सपना हो?'
Unale socē, 'yo kasto sapnā ho?'
He thought, 'What kind of dream is this?'
15
भोलिपल्ट उठेर उनले शहर बनाउन थाले।
Bholipalṭa uṭhera unale śahara banāuna thalē.
The next day, after waking up, he started to build the city.
16
उनले धेरै कामदारहरूलाई बोलाए।
Unale dherai kāmadāraharūlāī bolāē.
He called many workers.
17
कामदारहरूले ढुङ्गा र काठ जम्मा गरे।
Kāmadāraharūle ḍhuṅgā ra kāṭha jammā garē.
The workers collected stones and wood.
18
तिनीहरूले सुन्दर मन्दिर बनाए।
Tinīharūle sundara mandira banāē.
They built beautiful temples.
19
तिनीहरूले अग्ला दरबार पनि बनाए।
Tinīharūle aglā darbāra pani banāē.
They also built tall palaces.
20
शहर बिस्तारै ठूलो हुँदै गयो।
Śahara bistarai ṭhūlo hum̐dai gayo.
The city gradually became big.
21
मानिसहरू टाढाबाट आए।
Mānisaharū ṭāḍhābāṭa āē.
People came from far away.
22
तिनीहरूले व्यापार गरे।
Tinīharūle vyāpāra garē.
They did business.
23
काठमाडौँ व्यापारको केन्द्र बन्यो।
Kāṭhamāṇḍau vyāpārako kendra banyo.
Kathmandu became a center of trade.
24
तिब्बत र भारतबाट व्यापारीहरू आए।
Tibbata ra Bhāratabāṭa byāpārīharū āē.
Traders came from Tibet and India.
25
तिनीहरूले ऊन, नुन र मसला ल्याए।
Tinīharūle ūna, nuna ra masalā lyāē.
They brought wool, salt, and spices.
26
शहर धनी हुँदै गयो।
Śahara dhanī hum̐dai gayo.
The city became rich.
27
तर, समय बदलियो।
Tara, samaya badaliyo.
But time changed.
28
राजाहरूले आपसमा लड्न थाले।
Rājāharūle āpasamā laḍna thalē.
The kings started fighting with each other.
29
तिनीहरूले शहरलाई नष्ट गरे।
Tinīharūle śaharalāī naṣṭa garē.
They destroyed the city.
30
धेरै मन्दिर भत्किए।
Dherai mandira bhatki'ē.
Many temples collapsed.
31
मानिसहरू दुखी भए।
Mānisaharū dukhī bha'ē.
People became sad.
32
तर, पछि एउटा राम्रो राजा आए।
Tara, pachi ekaṭā ramro rājā āē.
But later, a good king came.
33
उनको नाम पृथ्वी नारायण शाह थियो।
Unko nāma Pṛthvī Nārāyaṇa Śāha thiyo.
His name was Prithvi Narayan Shah.
34
उनले सबै राज्यहरूलाई एक गरे।
Unale sabai rājyaharūlāī eka garē.
He united all the kingdoms.
35
उनले नेपालको निर्माण गरे।
Unale Nepāla ko nirmāṇa garē.
He built Nepal.
36
काठमाडौँ फेरि शान्त भयो।
Kāṭhamāṇḍau pheri śānta bhayo.
Kathmandu became peaceful again.
37
मानिसहरूले फेरि काम गर्न थाले।
Mānisaharūle pheri kām garna thalē.
People started working again.
38
तिनीहरूले पुराना मन्दिरहरू मर्मत गरे।
Tinīharūle purānā mandiraharū marmata garē.
They repaired the old temples.
39
शहर फेरि सुन्दर भयो।
Śahara pheri sundara bhayo.
The city became beautiful again.
40
आज पनि हामी त्यो इतिहास देख्छौँ।
Āja pani hāmī tyo itihāsa dekhchauṁ.
Even today we see that history.
41
पुराना दरबारहरू अझै छन्।
Purānā darbāraharū ajhai chan.
The old palaces still exist.
42
तिनीहरू संग्रहालय बनेका छन्।
Tinīharū saṅgrahālaya banekā chan.
They have become museums.
43
पर्यटकहरू तिनीहरू हेर्न आउँछन्।
Paryaṭakaharū tinīharū herna āum̐chan.
Tourists come to see them.
44
तिनीहरूले पुरानो कला देख्छन्।
Tinīharūle purāno kalā dekhchan.
They see the old art.
45
मन्दिरहरूमा धेरै देवी-देवताका मूर्तिहरू छन्।
Mandiraharūmā dherai devī-devatākā mūrtiharū chan.
In the temples there are many statues of gods and goddesses.
46
हरेक मूर्तिको आफ्नै कथा छ।
Hareka mūrtiko āphnai kathā cha.
Each statue has its own story.
47
मानिसहरूले ती कथाहरू सुनाउँछन्।
Mānisaharūle tī kathāharū sunāum̐chan.
People tell those stories.
48
बच्चाहरू पनि ती कथाहरू सुन्छन्।
Baccāharū pani tī kathāharū sunchan.
Children also listen to those stories.
49
तिनीहरूले इतिहास सिक्छन्।
Tinīharūle itihāsa sikchan.
They learn history.
50
मलाई पुरानो काठमाडौँ घुम्न मन पर्छ।
Malāī purāno Kāṭhamāṇḍau ghumna mana parcha.
I like to wander in old Kathmandu.
51
जब म त्यहाँ जान्छु, मलाई पुरानो समय याद आउँछ।
Jaba ma tyahām̐ jānchu, malāī purāno samaya yāda āum̐cha.
When I go there, I remember the old times.
52
म सोच्छु, 'यहाँ पहिले कस्तो थियो?'
Ma socchu, 'yahām̐ pahile kasto thiyo?'
I think, 'What was it like here before?'
53
तर, अहिले पनि शहर जीवित छ।
Tara, ahile pani śahara jīvita cha.
But even now, the city is alive.
54
यहाँ मानिसहरू किनमेल गर्छन्।
Yahām̐ mānisaharū kinamela garchan.
Here people shop.
55
यहाँ बच्चाहरू खेल्छन्।
Yahām̐ baccāharū khelchan.
Here children play.
56
यहाँ हामी नयाँ र पुरानो देख्छौँ।
Yahām̐ hāmī nayāṁ ra purāno dekhchauṁ.
Here we see new and old.
57
इतिहास हाम्रो सम्पत्ति हो।
Itihāsa hāmro sampatti ho.
History is our treasure.
58
हामीले यसलाई जोगाउनु पर्छ।
Hāmīle yasalāī jogāunu parcha.
We must protect it.
59
यसरी, हाम्रा छोराछोरीले पनि देख्नेछन्।
Yasarī, hāmrā chorāchorīle pani dekhnechan.
This way, our children will also see it.
60
त्यसैले, हामी पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा सम्झन्छौँ।
Tyasai, hāmī purāno Kāṭhamāṇḍauko kathā samjhanchauṁ.
Therefore, we remember the story of old Kathmandu.
📚 Study Guide: Nepali A2 Reading Notes
1. Grammar & Level Focus (CEFR A2 · Elementary)
This A2 Elementary Nepali story combines everyday expressions with basic connectors (and, but, because) and simple past or future references. Pay attention to how transitions link actions across sentences.
2. Key Expressions & Sentence Anchors
म आज तिमीलाई पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा सुनाउँछु।
Today I will tell you the story of old Kathmandu.
मानिसहरू दुखी भए।
People became sad.
त्यसैले, हामी पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा सम्झन्छौँ।
Therefore, we remember the story of old Kathmandu.
3. Comprehension & Active Recall Check
- Can you summarize the main event of "पुरानो काठमाडौँको कथा" in 2–3 simple Nepali sentences?
- Click 👁 Hide Translation above and re-read sentences 1 to 10 — how many words can you recall without looking?
- Use ▶ Play All to shadow-read aloud along with the native Nepali audio pronunciation.