There are bodies of texts that reflect distinct classical narrative in the Indian sub-continent are called the vamsavali (IAST: vaṃśāvalī, Devanagari: वंशावली). They bear special significance in the study of Nepalese history and its historical tradition. In continuation to the itihāsa-purāṇa tradition Thāpar, Romilā. (2009). The Vaṃśāvalī from Chamba: Reflections of a Historical Tradition. The Mahesh Chandra Regmi Lecture 2009 [By Social Science Baha on 14 October 2009, Kathmandu]. Lalitpur: Himal Books. as prevalent in the Indian sub-continent, these writings have mostly been referred to, where there is an absence of other historical sources. As a distinct historical narrative, they have a lot to reflect about the past in a broader sense. In Nepal, such chronicles are abundant and historically important, but yet least researched. This sector is yet to be explored fully Ricardi Jr., Theodore. (1973). Book Review: History of Nepal. In Kuloy, Hallvard K. (Ed.). Kailash: A Journal of Himalayan Studies. Vol. I. No. 1. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhaṇḍār. p. 106. and is probable to mirror interesting and near-to-credible (or sometimes highly credible) information about the past.
The vaṃśāvalīs, etymologically, refer only to the list of people of certain vaṃśas (gotra or clan, ancestry in general).
Popular chronicles (vamsavalis) of Nepal +List of some popular chronicles (vamsavalis) of NepalName of ChronicleDate of last compilationPlace of compilationPaper SizeFoliosScriptLanguage GopālarājavaṃśāvalīVajrācārya, Dhanavajra and Malla, Kamal P. (1985). The Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī. Weisbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag (Nepāl Research Centre Publications; 9).c. 1349 ADKathmandu valley (Bhaktapur)28 cm x 5 cm48BhujimolSanskrit and Nepal BhasaNepālavaṃśāvalī Malla, Kamal P. (1985). Nepālavaṃśāvalī: A Complete Version of the Kaisher Vaṃśāvalī. CNAS Journal. Vol. 12 No. 2. Kathmandu: Tribhuvan University. pp. 75-101.after 1790 ADKathmandu valley22.5 cm x 9 cm13DevanagariSanskrit Kirkpatrick's Chronicle Kirkpatrick, Colonel. (1975). An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul. New Delhi: Asian Publication Services. [Originally published in 1811 by London: W. Bulmer and Co. Cleveland-Row]c. 1800 ADKathmandu valley - - - -Wright's Chronicle Wright, Daniel (Ed.). (1990). History of Nepal: With an Introductory Sketch of the Country and People of Nepāl. New Delhi: Asian Publication Services. [First edition 1877, Cambridge; translated from Parbattiyā by Munshī Shew Shunker Singh and Pandit Shrī Gunānanda].after 1847 ADKathmandu valley - -DevanagariSanskrit and Nepal BhasaBhāṣā Vaṃśāvalī Poudel, Nayanāth. (Ed.). (1963). Bhāṣā Vaṃśāvalī. Kathmandu: Nepāl National Library, Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. (Archaeology Publications Series No. 21)Lamsāl, Pundit Devīprasād (Ed.). (1966). Bhāṣā Vaṃśāvalī (Dvitīya Bhāga) [Second Part]. Kathmandu: Nepāl National Library, Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. (Archaeology Publications Series No. 38)c. 1830–1880 ADKathmandu valley - -DevanagariSanskrit and NepaliGorkhā Vaṃśāvalī Gorkhā Vaṃśāvalī. (1974). Ancient Nepal. No. 28. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. pp. 1-28.after 1774 ADGorkha - -DevanagariNepaliŚrīpālī Vaṃśāvalī Nepāl, Pūrṇa Prakāsh ‘Yātrī’. (1983). Khaśa-Samrāṭ Nāgarāja ra Śrīpālī Vaṃśāvalī. Ancient Nepal, No. 77. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology. pp. 1-12.1831 ADDailekh - -DevanagariNepaliKāṭhmāṇḍu Upatyakākā Ek
Rājavaṃśāvalī Sharmā, Bāl Chandra. (Ed). (1968). Kāṭhmāṇḍū-Upatyakāko Ek Rājavaṃśāvalī. [With an introduction]. Ancient Nepal, No. 4. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. pp. 3-15.Sharmā, Bāl Chandra. (Ed). (1968). Kāṭhmāṇḍū-Upatyakāko Ek Rājavaṃśāvalī. Ancient Nepal, No. 5. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. pp. 1-17.Sharmā, Bāl Chandra. (Ed). (1968). Kāṭhmāṇḍū-Upatyakāko Ek Rājavaṃśāvalī. Ancient Nepal, No. 6. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. pp. 1-29.c. 1885 ADKathmandu valley - -DevanagariSanskrit and Nepal BhasaThe Vaṃśāvalī of the Malla
Rājās of Jājarkoṭ Bhattarāī, Biśwanāth. (1974). Jājarkoṭe Rājā ra Malla Rājāharūko Vaṃśāvalī. Ancient Nepal. No. 27. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology, His Majesty's Government. pp. 49-55.NAJajarkot -4DevanagariNepaliDevatāharuko vaṃśāvalī Rājopādhyāya, Dineshānanda. Devatāharūko Vaṃśāvalī. (Unpublished)1988 ADKathmandu33 cm x 22.5 cm145DevanagariSanskrit and Nepali Alongside the list in the table, in the collection of Hodgson are following vaṃśāvalīs as specified by Hasrat:Hasrat, Vikram Jit (1970). History of Nepal. Punjab. pp. xvii.Regmi, Jagadish Chandra. (1989). Vaṃśāvalī ra Vaṃśāvalīharū [With texts of the Nepālavaṃśāvalī]. Ancient Nepal, No. 114. Kathmandu: Department of Archaeology. pp. 1-7. [The no./vol. refers to the codes in Hodgson collection.] No. 27 (19): Bamshavalis, 5 books: Vol. 17. Fol. 1–117; Vol. 52, Fol. 180–1. No. 28 (7): Chronology of Nepal, Vol. 17. Fol. 220–27. No. 29 (8): Bamsavali, Newari, 2 Vols: Vol. 9, 16, 17 and 19. No. 29 (16): Bamsavali, Newari, Vol. 52. Fol. 7-52; Vol. 102, Fol. 9–16. No. 29 (1–6): Gorkha Bamsavali, Vol. 51. Fol. 49–1, 92–107; Vol. 55, Fol. 1–4. No. 30 (1): Gorkha Bamsavali, Nepali and History of Nepal, Vol. 52, Fol. 57- Vol. 74, Fol. 21–23; Vol. 101, Fol. 140–150. No. 32 (1): Vamsavali etc. Vols. 50, 54, 56, 93, 95 and 104. No. 32 (2): Vamsavali, Vol. 93. Fol. 89 ff; Vol. 101, Fol. 158–167. No. 32 (5): Early Gorkha Vamsavalis, Vol. 51. Fol. 111–120. No. 33(6): Gorkha Bamsavali, Roll No. 45. No. 36 (1): Vamsavali Statistics etc., Vols. 26, 51, 54, 74, 99, 100 and 101. No. 37 (5): Vamsavali, Vol. 51, Fol. 181–2. No. 39 (6): Nepal Chronology, Vol. 7. Fol. 152–170. No. 39 (1): Vamsavalis, Vols. 50 and 55. Shreṣṭha (2012) Shrestha, Rajit Bahadur. (2012). Abhilekha. Lalitpur: Nhū Hisu Pucaḥ. p. 45. mentions of 101 different vaṃśāvalī manuscripts preserved at National Archives, some of which are named after kings, gods, particular caste groups or places. Following is the list he provides: Rājavogamālāvaṃśāvalī Mukundasenanṛpavaṃśāvalī Makavānapurīyananṛpavaṃśāvalī Rājopādhyāyavaṃśāvalī Maithilavaṃśāvalī Maithilabrāhmaṇavaṃśāvalī Macchendravaṃśāvalī Nepālavaṃśāvalī Nepālarājavaṃśāvalī Gorkhāko Vaṃśāvalī Rājaguruvaṃśāvalī Munasigharānako Vaṃśāvalī Rāmaśāhavaṃśāvalī Bhāṣā Vaṃśāvalī Sūryavaṃśāvalī Harivaṃśāvalī Śāhavaṃśāvalī He also gives the main text of another vamsavali, viz. Harsiddhivaṃśāvalī. In the microfilm collections at Nepāl Archives under Nepal-German Manuscript Preservation Project, are also the vamsavalis collection, as published in a catalog (Part 2) under the subjects Itihāsa 1-5 Lagat (pp. 1–41) and Itihas Tādapatra (pp. 42–46), collected with the code, name of the vamsavali, film number, condition, script, number of folios, size, language and others.
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