ASWINS

The twin sons of the Sun God. Aswins or Aswini Kumars are the Vedic Gods who ride in a golden vahana or car drawn by horses or birds are forerunners of dawn. Handsome, young and bright, Aswins are the personifications of twilight. Many myths are woven around them and their personifications are interpreted in many ways. Some say they are heaven and earth. Yet others say they are day and night.

ASWIN

Aswin is the sixth month according to Nepalese official calendar year known as Bickram Sambat (Please also see Bikram Sambat).  This month approximately coincides the period starting from Mid-September to Mid-October.

ASURA

Asuras are also considered a kind of demons. The subjects of Ravana, the ten-headed demon or Rakshasa king of Lanka, believed to be present Sri Lanka during the time of the great epic Ramayana were known as Asuras..

ASTAMATRIKAS

According  to the Hindu mythology, Astamatrikas are the divine mother goddess or shaktis. They are variously counted as seven, eight or ten. When they are eight in numbers they are Asta matrikas. They are related with the theme of struggle between the forces of knowledge and the forces of ignorance.

ASHOK STUPAS

Named after Emperor Ashok of India, these stupas are situated at four locations of Patan or Lalitpur: Tyata, Lagankhel, Pulchowk and Eebahi.

It is believed that Emperor Ashok visited the Kathmandu valley and that he himself had built these stupas with a view to protect and sanctify the entire city with divine protection. Built in 250 A.D. along with the advent of Buddhism in the valley of Kathmandu, these Stupas are popularly known as Ashok stupas after his name.  

ASHOK STAMBHA

The famous commemorative   stone pillar known as Ashok Stambha  was erected by Emperor Ashok of  Kalinga Empire, India more than two thousand and three hundred years ago to mark his pilgrimage to Lumbini Gardens situated at the southern slopes of Nepal where Lord Buddha wa born  more than two and a half millennium years ago. For more information, also see Lumbini

ASANA

Asana literally means position or posture. Gods and saints take various postures for depicting various moods and for performing different activities. Many images of Gods are shown in Dhyanasan meaning the meditating posture. But there may be various meditating postures as well, in which the positions of legs and hands may be shown in different positions.  One very popular meditating position is known as padmasana, which means lotus (padma) position. In this position the legs are crossed closely locked with the soles of both feet visible. All Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas are found seated in this position. Another position, Bajrasana, involves sitting atop backwards-folded legs, thighs on shins with both knees touching the ground in front of the person while the soles lie in parallel to each other behind facing upwards. Many different postures have different styles and connotations in both Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. Depicted hereunder are some popular Asana’s or positions:

• Padmasana: The lotus position for meditation. This Asana also means a throne or a pedestal. If the pedestal of a lotus is arranged in a single petal row it is called Padmasana. If the lotus petals are arranged in a double row it is called Biswapadmasana.

• Singhasana: The pedestal supported by lions. 

• Kurmasana: The pedestal supported by the tortoise. 

• Sayana Asana: The sleeping pose of Hindu god Vishnu. 

• Nrityamurti Asana: A pose of dancing Shiva and other various tantric Gods are found in this position.

• Dhyana Asana: This meditative pose is also known as padmasana. In this position, the legs are crossed closely locked with the soles of both feet visible. All Buddhas and Bodhisattwas are found seated in this position. 

• Lalita Asana: A pose of ease, one leg pendant and often resting on a lotus flower. The other leg is in the usual position like that of the Buddha’s. Tara, the consort of Dhyani Buddha, Saraswati, Basundhara are found in this Asana. 

• Paryanka Asana, the seated position with knees apart and both legs pendent. This is the popular position of Maitriya Buddha. 

• Rajalila Asana: The position in which one is seated with right knee raised and left leg in the usual position like that of the Buddha’s. While sitting in this position, right arm is hanging loosely over the right knee. Several Hindu deities are often shown in this posture.

• Samapada Asana: The standing position either upright or in various degrees of flexion of body or legs. Boddisattwas are often found in this position. 

• Alidh Asana: Also the standing position, but stepping to the left with right leg. While doing so, the right leg shown straight and upright, but the left leg often bent. This is the aggressive form of a god or a Dakini. Many feroceous and wrathful deities are found in this position.

ASADH

The Nepalese month of Asadh begins sometime in the middle of June. Asadh is basically marked by heavy rains, this month covering the main part of the monsoon season in Nepal. See Months of Nepal.

ARUN RIVER

Arun River, with its source in Tibet region of China travels a long way thorough Sikkim in India to enter Nepal through Kumbhakrana Himal of Pallo Kirat. It joins the Sun Kosi river at a place known as Pagnam in Bhojpur district.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

The things Nepalese are mostly proud of are their pieces of arts, architecture and crafts etc. Nepalese arts reflected in ancient stone carvings and wood works, paintings, temple crafts and arts done in metals etc. Still earmark the height of Nepalese arts. Many other sorts of craft works such as weaving, molding of idols and other arts, making of pots, utensils, baskets blankets and clothing materials, so called curio goods and hundreds of other varieties have been catching the eyes of the world till to-day. Art works in Nepal is often found much older than its recorded history leaving much food for speculations and research works. Ashok Stupas of Patan are most probably older than 2,000 years, but question mark still exits regarding its time of construction. Was it built by Emperor Ashok of India in memorial of his visit to Nepal as popularly believed? No scholastic proof is found about it. Similar is the case with many other religious shrines and images of gods. Legendary justification of these takes us to a world, which is far away from scientific approach. However, all the art works made during 2 or 3 thousand years in Nepal as can be seen elsewhere in the kingdom, especially Kathmandu Valley, reveal artistic mastery of Nepalese artists and craftsmen. An idea can be formed about it by going through the descriptions of temples shrines, places of interest and several other subjects in this volume. Regarding pattern of art, it seems basically Nepalese, but because of intimate contacts with India and China, styles of these countries also see to have influenced Nepalese arts and crafts. As Arniko of Nepal popularized Nepalese style of arts, bronze works and temple-craft etc. In China in the 13th century, Nepalese artists got very much influenced by Chinese arts as well.