Before Nepal was united as a single country in the half of 18th century,the designation 'Nepal' was largely applied only to Kathmandu valley.So, until the unification of the country, Nepal's history is largely the history of Kathmandu valley.References to Nepal in famous Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata, Puranas and also Buddhist and Jain scriptures, establish the country's antiquity as an independent political and territorial entity.However, no extant historical evidence has yet authenticated the rule of these legendary dynasties. The documented history of Nepal begins with the Changu Narayan temple inscription of King Manadeva I (C 464-505 A.D.) of the Lichavi dynasty.
