bagmati pradesh is named after the holy river bagmati which runs through the kathmandu valley. the river is considered the source of the newar civilization and urbanization. the river has been mentioned as vaggumuda (वग्गुमुदा) in vinaya pitaka and nandabagga. it has also been mentioned as bahumati (बाहुमति) in battha suttanta of majjhima nikaya. an inscription dated  477 describes the river as bagvati parpradeshe (वाग्वति पारप्रदेशे) and subsequently in gopalraj vanshavali.