Nanda Parbat

Nanda Parbat is a city that features in DC Comics.

History

Origin

Nanda Parbat was a mysterious hidden city that was located in Himalayas on the planet Earth. In an underground cavern beneath Nanda Parbat was Enoch the First City resided Penemue who held the Mark of Cain for thousands of years where he lived in seclusion. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12)

Centuries ago, people began to lose faith in the peaceful beliefs of Rama Kushna as they wanted action in combating evils in the world. As a result, Rama Kushna sought out an agent that maintained the balance between good and evil but tilted it towards goods favour. She found a man who was killed by corrupt men and offered him a chance at vengeance against his killers in exchange for his eternal service. The man accepted and was transformed into a spectral being that could possess others who was tasked with combating evil. This man was sent forth to overcome evil beings around the world and bring them to Nanda Parbat where Rama Kushna's power was strongest. Hundreds were gathered in such a manner where they were brought to the Himalayan refuge with Rama's power influencing them to become people of good with their lives transformed to begin anew. (Deadman v2 #2)

After World War I, Lee Travis wandered the world aimlessly as he struggled to cope after seeing the 'evils' he had seen in the conflict. He decided to lose himself in the Himalayas and intended to die where he fell unconscious on the mountain. He was saved by the monks and brought to Nanda Parbat where he stayed for a time with him healing both in body and soul. Though recovered, he felt that the virtue of the city did not reflect the horrors out there in the world by one of the monks felt he could make a difference and asked him to meditate on the matter. Whilst doing so, his astral self encountered the goddess Rama Kushna who gifted him a vision of the future that showed a great hero emerge that inspired the world only to die at the hands of a terrible monster. Travis felt inspired by this superhero and wanted to prevent his death in the coming days thus leading to him adopting the guise of the Crimson Avenger. He then sought to return to society to discover that ten years had passed and that he had not aged thus allowing him to retain his youth as he embarked on becoming a superhero. (Golden Age Secret Files and Origins v1 #1) In 1953, Judomaster had heard of the city of Nanda Parbat where time stood still and its people practiced a pure form of martial art unknown to the modern world. This led to him seeking it out and going to India with Tiger but his sidekick grew tired of the life and left him to return home to live his life. Despite this event, Ripley continued the perilous journey where he found Nanda Parbat and welcomed through its gates. Within it, he left the cares of the mortal world behind and achieved the pinnacle of martial arts mastery whilst becoming the favoured citizen of the city along with its goddess Rama Kushna. (L.A.W. v1 #4)

There were noted to had been veiled adventures to the Shifting City of Nanda Parbat with these being situated in the comic adventures of the Crimson Avenger. After his parents death, Bruce Wayne sought to find the city and came to spot the references to the hidden land. This eventually led to his travel to the small nation of Bhutran in order to consult the Rana Bhutra. Once there, he helped fight off an attack by General Sheng Fan who with a Chinese battalion also sought this knowledge. The Rana Bhutra was indebted to him for his aid but stated that he could not reveal the path to the secret city but stated that it would reveal itself to him in time. (Superman v1 #710) At some point, Batman had journeyed to Nanda Parbat to undergo the Thogal Buddhist ritual of purification. (Batman v1 #671) In the body of the Sensei, Jonah led the society of assassins in an assault on Nanda Parbat as he sought to destroy Rama Kushna. (Deadman v2 #3) When Nanda Parbat was threatened with destruction by Sensei, one of the leaders of the League of Assassins, the entity of Rama Kushna warned Deadman about the dangers and he teamed-up with Batman to stop Sensei's plan. (Brave and the Bold v1 #86)

After the apparent demise of Ra's al Ghul, the Sensei formed a splinter faction of the League with these fanatical followers opposed to that of Talia al Ghul's group. He later learnt that Ra's had resurrected into a new but dying body with the Sensei concluding that he would seek out the mystical fountain at the Shifting City of Nanda Parbat. Thus, he assembled the Seven Men of Death to follow him in bringing about the end of Ra's al Ghul. (Batman v1 #670) He reached the city where he managed to take control of it and slowly executed the native monks as he sought the Fountain of Life. It was then that Batman arrived with Ra's al Ghul where the Dark Knight defeated the Sensei's Men of Death. In the confrontation with the Sensei himself, Batman learnt that the old man was Ra's father with the two doing battle. The Sensei fatally wounded Ra's before fighting Batman where he initially overpowered the Dark Knight. However, Batman endured longer as the Sensei's age meant his stamina could not match a prolonged fight. He forced the ancient martial arts master into the Fountain of Life where he died as his dark corrupt soul burnt at the touch of the purifying waters. (Batman v1 #671)

With the Mark of Cain on her, Renee Montoya went to Nanda Parbat in order to find a way to get rid of it. She was greeted by Richard Dragon who took her to the trial held by Penemue who tried to get the mark back for himself. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12) Deadman, Zachary Zatara, Jason Blood, Kid Devil and Randu went to Nanda Parbat trying to help Rama Kushna balance the good and evil forces. (Reign in Hell v1 #7)

Ralph Dibny accompanied by the Helmet of Nabu went in search for Nanda Parbat in order to meet the goddess Rama Kushna. Whilst in the mountains, he was attacked by the Yeti and nearly killed but was saved by Yao Fei who was at the hidden city and brought the unconscious Dibny to his destination. Upon gaining consciousness, he told one of the monks that he intended to meet with their goddess as he had a question for her about death and the dying. (52 v1 #32) Outside Nanda Parbat, the Question came to die due to complications from lung disease. (52 v1 #38)

The demon priest Siva Annuttara after bargaining for power from his dark masters used his newly acquired strength to attack Nanda Parbat where he effortlessly destroyed those that opposed him. He then imprisoned the essence of the spirit of life within a gem thus allowing him to cage the god Rama Kushna. With her energies, he perverted her powers to turn the souls of Nanda Parbat into spectral assassins to serve him. (The Brave and the Bold v3 #14)

Post-Flashpoint

The mountains where Nanda Parbat was located in DC Universe Presents v1 #6.

Following the Flashpoint, a new timeline was created with a different history of events. Originally, the location was known as Nishapur that was a dark city founded by evil mystical despots that sought to open crude portals into hell. They were opposed by a group of virtuous mages that fought against these individuals to prevent hell on Earth. Ultimately, they managed to defeat their foes whereupon they built a new city of magic and enlightenment over the ruins. They would also change the name from Nishapur to Nanda Parbat in order to forever reflect the balance between good and evil. In time, it would be considered a myth to the rest of the world with only a few knowing of the legends of the city. (Batman and Robin v2 #32) Long ago, a race of dark and demented gods ruled over Nanda Parbat where the inhabitants of the city lived a primitive, brutal, violent and unenlightened existence. The people then experienced enlightenment where they rejected the dark gods and a new race of compassionate wise deities arose. As a result, the dark deities fell where their hatred merged together whereupon the ten thousand gods formed the entity known as Pantheon that sought to destroy Nanda Parbat. (Justice League Dark v1 #34)

The sacred city was carefully constructed over a period of six millennia. (Justice League Dark v2 #4) At some point, Nanda Parbat would sometimes allow select children from the wider world into its realm with many forgetting this encounter. A young Boston Brand would be one of these children who journeyed to Nanda Parbat through mystical means before being returned to his home. The city itself was noted to had been fond of Boston Brand and had returned him to a Human existence when Pantheon tricked Deadman into leading the way into the paradise realm. (Justice League Dark v1 #34) After a plane crash, the recovered survivors consisting of the Challengers were recovered by the monks of Nanda Parbat. (DC Universe Presents v1 #6)

Matthew Cable long sought to find a means of curing Alec Holland from being the Swamp Thing and travelled around the world to meet with various mystics. He spent his life savings to reach Nanda Parbat in the secluded valley in the Himalayan mountains. Cable was welcomed into the city but he later journeyed to a remote temple where he stole a precious relic from Nanda Parbat known as the Hand of Fatima. It was believed that the monks would eventual pursue him to reclaim the item but Matthew wanted to cure Holland from his condition. The pair journeyed to Shadowcrest mansion to get the aid of Zatanna who cast the spell turning Holland human but this turned to be a trick as instead his powers were given to Cable who became the new Swamp Thing. (Swamp Thing v6 #3)

It later came under attack from a Hecate-corrupted Manitou Dawn with the inhabitants unable to match her power leading to Rama Kushna sending Deadman to find aid among the Justice League Dark. (Wonder Woman v5 #56)

Overview

It was known by many names including as the Lost City of Light. (Swamp Thing v6 #5) Nanda Parbat was not a physical place itself but rather this was only the surface of something much greater with it being deeper than the Human imagination. (Justice League Dark v1 #34) Many believed that the city was the secret onto itself but in reality this was only a veneer with the truth lying beneath. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12) It was one of the hearts of magic and was a nexus of power that was hidden in the mortal world. (Justice League Dark v2 #4) It was said time nor death could come to Nanda Parbat. (Batman v1 #671) To reach the top, there were 9,999 steps that needed to be climbed. (52 v1 #47) It was said that pilgrims that climbed the steps could gain an audience with the goddess Rama Kushna where they could ask her questions about, death, dying and the dead. (52 v1 #32) Time itself was said to stand still with Nanda Parbat standing for unknown millennia without ever having to change. People that dwelled within the walls of this fabled paradise were said to know only peace and serenity whilst the harsh reality of the world outside were unknown inside the city. (L.A.W. v1 #1) The concept of time was lost upon the inhabitants of Nanda Parbat. (L.A.W. v1 #1) One of the positions among the monks was that of the Lama. (52 v1 #47)

To its order of monks, the city was considered more than a place but rather a moment whereby they aided those in need. A symbol of their society was the Spiral (DC Universe Presents v1 #6) Among the rituals practiced by the monks of Nanda Parbat was the Thörgal Ordeal where the practitioner went through a spiritual purification spent seven days in darkness and was forever changed. (52 v1 #47) Another trial was the Lessons of the Watchers where one was taken to the underground city of Enoch. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12) A technique taught by the people of Nanda Parbat was the Nirvikalpa Samadhi whereby one could enter into a state whre they could mentally decipher hidden or occult patterns. (Batman v1 #663)

A location at the Shifting City was the Fountain of Life that brought death to those that lacked purity of spirit. (Batman v1 #671) Another was the Well of Souls located beyond the walls of the city. It was said that there were a great many evils that lay beyond the walls of the city. (DC Universe Presents v1 #6) Beneath the mountain site of the city itself was the original architecture of Nisphapur with the deeper levels containing a long forgotten Lazarus Pit. (Batman and Robin v2 #32) Underneath the settlement inside the underground cavern was also Enoch the First City. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12)

Among its protectors were the Dead Men of Nanda Parbat who were monks that could leave their mortal bodies and attack as spectral ghosts. These warriors had guarded the gates of the afterlife for generations and had long made peace with their demise along with the incredible power it had granted them. (Justice League Dark v2 #4) One group associated with the Hidden City were the Ghost Killers of Nanda Parbat. These were spectral assassins who upon possessing a host then the body died instantly. They were, however, unable to possess the bodies of a person who was already possessed. (The Brave and the Bold v3 #14)

Inhabitants

• Brahma Dass :
• Siva Anuttara : a male who was once mortal that worshipped the gods of death with his worship causing him to become a demon priest with his humanity withering away. (The Brave and the Bold v3 #14)
• Taj Ze : (Swamp Thing v6 #5)
• Darius Caldera : a male long white haired powerful Brujo whose father then his mother died shortly after his birth with his village believing him cursed due to his congenital defects and abandoning him. He was rescued by a Brujo who taught him magic and noted his aptitude in the mystical arts but Darius who healed his malformed body and grew powerful to the point that he usurped control of his villange around 80 years ago. Caldera ruled it until Jonah a servant of Rama Kushna possessed him and took him to Nanda Parbat where her power turned him into a peaceful man who was trapped in the city. (Deadman: Dead Again v1 #3) At Nanda Parbat, he was noted as a peaceful man who was friends with Deadman but after his release from the city he reverted to his evil ways and used his Soul Cage to trap the spirit of the Flash during the Crisis of Infinite Earths. (Deadman: Dead Again v1 #1) His life in Nanda Parbat stopped him from using his power to heal his broken body causing him to slowly die at this point but he forged a pact with Neron in exchange for the souls of five deceased heroes but was opposed by Deadman. (Deadman: Dead Again v1 #3)
• Duroc : a black haired white male who witnessed the dawn of the modern world with him serving under Napoleon as he took Egypt and managed to survive Waterloo with him planning to conquer the world but Rama Kushna's servant Jonah captured him and took him to Nanda Parbat as one of its many evil prisoners and served as among its oldest occupants with this being 190 years ago. After Nanda Parbat's destruction, he was among the exiles that escaped that sought to resume his old life with him keeping the names on his compatriots in his book of the exiles and looking to distribute a hate drug to devastate the modern world which he saw as weak that shackled strong men. (Deadman v3 #2)
• Frankie Serna : a bald black male who was an evil man taken by Jonah to Nanda Parbat where he remained there for 17 years until the city's destruction where he became one of the exiles that sought to resume his old life. (Deadman v3 #2)
• Onyx : a black haired Asian woman who was a prisoner in Nanda Parbat where she fell in love with Jonah who had taken possession of a body with her giving birth to a male child named Zi who had the natural ability to separate his soul from his body to possess another. (Deadman v3 #9)
• Penemue : a bald headed male who had lived for thousands of years inside the First City Enoch underneath Nanda Parbat where he carried the Mark of Cain until Vandal Savage's followers tricked him into releasing it. (Detective Comics Annual v1 #12)
• Lao :
• Ripley Jagger : for many years, the male Judo-Master had resided within Nanda Parbat when he sought peace. He had claw marks on his back that some claimed were from a Abishi Baru but he replied with a smile that such creatures were an old wives tale. (L.A.W. v1 #1)

Notes

• Nanda Parbat was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino where it made its first appearance Strange Adventures v1 #205 (October, 1967).

Alternate Versions

• In Superman/Batman v1 #15 (2005), the timeline was altered by the actions of the Legion of Super-Villains who sought to change history by raising Superman and Batman. The two were used as enforcers for the supervillains who had them target Nanda Parbat where they massacred its monks as well as dealt with Deadman.

In other media

Television

• In Justice League Unlimited, the city appeared in the setting of the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe where it was shown in the episode "Dead Reckoning" . It was hidden from the world and occupied by an order of monks that were headed by the Master. It was also home of the Heart of Nanda Parbat that connected all of the disciples together where they faithfully served Rama Kushna. At some point, Boston Brand was killed where he became the undead spirit called Deadman who studied under the Master. Afterwards, the Legion of Doom under the direction of Grodd where they stole the Heart of Nanda Parbat leading to the souls of all the acolytes being stolen. They were released when the Heart was shattered but the actions of Deadman who killed Devil Ray and thus denied a path to the afterlife.
• In Arrow, Nanda Parbat appeared in the setting of the live-action television series set in the Arrowvrse where it was was first mentioned in the episode "League of Assassins". Sara Lance said that it was the home of the League of Shadows. Malcolm Meryln stated that he found the city where he discovered enlightenment after training for two years following his wife's murder.

Films

• In Batman: Soul of the Dragon, Nanda Parbat appeared in the setting of the animated film. It was shown as being a remote monastery under the protection of O-Sensei where he secretly guarded 'the Gate' that was a portal to another dimension that contained the demonic serpent god Naga. Over time, O-Sensei came to take on a number of students where he trained them in the martial arts and secretly intended them to help guard the Gate from ever being opened. Among his students included Rip Jagger, Shiva, Ben Turner, Richard Dragon, Jade Ngugen and Bruce Wayne. Wayne had come following the murder of his parents and sought instruction in the martial arts under O-Sensei. During these years, Shiva who was shown as O-Sensei's most promising student was given custodianship of the Soul Breaker sword that was actually a key to open the gate. Eventually, it was discovered that Rip Jagger was a member of the Kobra Cult who infiltrated the monastery to open the Gate where he stole the Soul Breaker and killed Jade as a sacrifice to open it. Only O-Sensei sacrificing himself closed the Gate thus preventing Naga from enering the world.

Video games

• In DC Universe Online, Nanda Parbat appeared in the MMORPG where it was introduced into the "The Demon's Plan" Alert. It was the infamous mountain fortress used as a base by the League of Assassins where Ra's al Ghul had the captive Green Arrow and Captain Cold.
• In DC: Unchained, Nanda Parbat appeared in the setting of the mobile video game. It was described as the remains of a foreign citadel that was home to murderers and killers. Damian Wayne grew up there where he learnt the arts of assassination.

Appearances

• Strange Adventures v1: (1967)
• Deadman v1:
• Golden Age Secret Files and Origins v1:
• Batman v1:
• 52 v1:
• The Brave and the Bold v3:
• Justice League Dark v1:
• Batman and Robin v2:
• Wonder Woman v5:
• Justice League Dark v2:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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