Kathmandu Metropolitan City - Toponymy

Toponymy

The city of Kathmandu got its name from the unique temple that stands in Durbar Square called Kasthamandap. In Sanskrit, Kastha (काष्ठ) means "wood" and Mandap (मंडप/मण्डप) means "covered shelter." This temple, also known as Maru Satal, was built in 1596 by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The two-storey structure is made entirely of wood, and uses no iron nails or supports. According to legend, all the timber used to build this pagoda was obtained from a single tree.

The colophons of ancient manuscripts dated as late as the previous century refer to Kathmandu as Kasthamandap Mahanagar in Nepal Mandala. Mahanagar means "great city". In a vow that the priests still recite to this day during Buddhist rituals, the city is still called "Kasthamandap." During medieval times, the city was also sometimes called Kantipur (कान्तिपुर). That name derives from two Sanskrit words- Kanti and pur. "Kanti" is one of the alternative names of the Goddess Lakshmi, and "pur" means place.

Among the indigenous Newar people, Kathmandu is known as Yen Desa(येँ देश), and Patan and Bhaktapur are known as Yala Desa (यल देश) and Khwopa Desa (ख्वप देश). Yen is the shorter form of Yambu (यम्बु), which originally referred to the northern half of Kathmandu.