Sinja Valley

Sinja was the capital of the Khasa Malla kingdom that ruled much of western Nepal and parts of western Tibet from around the twelfth to the fourteenth century, and its importance is linguistic as much as archaeological: the Khas language written in inscriptions here is the direct ancestor of modern Nepali, which makes the valley the place the national language can be traced to. What survives is scattered rather than monumental, with stone inscriptions, the Kanakasundari temple, ruined structures and excavation trenches spread through the valley floor and its terraces. The setting is high open farmland in Jumla, at around 2,400 metres, and visitors are very rare. The valley sits on Nepal's tentative list for World Heritage.

History

The Khasa kingdom of the Sinja valley was founded by Nagraj, and after the 14th century it broke up into 22 small kingdoms that lasted until Nepal was unified in the 18th century. The earliest examples of Devanagari script, of the 13th century, were found on cliffs here and at nearby Dullu, which is why the valley is called the birthplace of the Nepali language (Wikipedia, Sinja Valley).

Highlights

• Stone inscriptions - the Khas texts ancestral to written Nepali.
• Kanakasundari temple - the principal surviving shrine in the valley.
• Excavated foundations - the traces of the Malla capital.
• Jumla farmland - the high terraced valley the site sits in.

When to go

April to October, since winter brings snow to Jumla and closes the roads. Late spring and early autumn are most reliable. The valley is combined with a Rara trip by some travellers.

What to expect

There is little standing architecture and no interpretation on site, so the significance is largely invisible without reading beforehand. The road from Jumla is rough and often needs walking. There is no accommodation in the valley itself. Jumla is reached by a flight that cancels often.

Nearby

Jumla lies southeast; Rara lake is north.

Key facts