On the antiquity of the name "Kasthamandapa" or "Kathmandu"
By P. C. Bagchi
Summary
This note explores the origin of the Nepali capital’s name, ‘Kathmandu’, which is believed to derive from the Sanskrit ‘Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa’ meaning ‘wooden pavilion’. The author surveys Newar chronicles and inscriptions, suggesting that the name refers to a large wooden structure built in the Kathmandu Valley during the Lichchhavi period. He compares this tradition with accounts by medieval travellers and proposes that the wooden pavilion served as a rest house for pilgrims. The note concludes that the etymology of Kathmandu reflects both the architectural heritage of the valley and its role as a crossroads of trade and pilgrimage.
Conclusion
The derivation of ‘Kathmandu’ from ‘Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa’ underscores the centrality of a historic wooden pavilion in the city’s identity, linking linguistic history with material culture.