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Kirtipur : Strung out along a ridge 5km southwest of Kathmandu, the
small town of Kirtipur retains an unhurried, timeless air despite its
proximity to the capital. Its impressive but little-visited temples
point to a golden age that has long passed.
During the 1768/9 conquest of the valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah it
was clear that Kirtipur, with its superbly defensible hilltop
position, would be the key to defeating the Malla kingdoms, so it was
here the Gorkha king struck first and hardest. Kirtipur's resistance
was strong, but eventually, after a bitter siege, the town was taken
and the inhabitants paid a terrible price for their courageous
resistance. The king, incensed by the long struggle his forces had
endured, ordered that the nose and lips be cut off every male
inhabitant in the town. Fortunately for a small minority, he was
practical as well as cruel, and those who could play wind instruments
were spared.
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