• Dharan is a major city in eastern Nepal, in the Sunsari District, and is situated on the foothills of the Mahabharat Range in the north with southern tip touching the edge of the Terai region at an altitude of 1148 ft (349m). It serves as a trading post between the hilly region and the plains of Terai region. It was once the location of a recruitment center for the Brigade of Gurkhas, opened in 1953. The recruitment center is closed and the campus is now the home of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences since 1993. Dharan Municipality organised a Golden Jubilee celebration of Dharan from January 28 to 31 January 2011 marking the 50th year of establishment of the municipality.
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• The Ten Kings of Limbus came together to formally declare all the ten kingdoms between the Arun River and Teesta River to be called "Yakthung Laaje".
• The ten rulers, their kingdoms and their forts:
• Samlupi Samba Hang, King of Tambar and his capital Tambar Yiok.
• Sisiyen Shering Hang, King of Mewa and Maiwa kingdoms and his capital Meringden Yiok.
• Thoktokso Angbo Hang, King of Athraya and his capital Pomajong.
• Thindolung Khokya Hang, King of Yangwarok and his capital Hastapojong Yiok
• Yengaso Papo Hang, King of Panthar and his capital at Yashok and Pheden (Phe meaning "plain", den meaning "place").
• Shengsengum Phedap Hang, King of Phedap and his capital at Poklabung.
• Mung Tai Chi Emay Hang, King of Ilam and his capital at Phakphok.
• Soiyak Lado Hang, King of Bodhey (Choubise) and his capital at Shanguri Yiok.
• Tappeso Perung Hang, King of Thala and his capital at Thala Yiok.
• Taklung Khewa Hang, King of Chethar and his capital at Chamling Chimling Yiok.
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• During this chaos and the waning phase of King Chemjong hang, King Sirijonga of Yangwarok kingdom rose to power. He subdued all the independent rulers and took over as the new supreme ruler of Limbuwan. He built two big forts in Phedap (present day Terhathum district) and Chainpur (present day Sankhuwasabha district). The remains of the structure still stand today. One of legacy was that he brought all the Limbus under the same writing system in Kirat script. He also brought feudal reform in Limbuwan and divided Limbuwan into new boundaries and districts.
• Eventually after the establishment of Namgyal dynasty in Sikkim and under the Lho-Mehn-Tsong Tsum, a treaty between the Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu people of the Sikkim area, Limbuwan lost the area between Kunchenjunga range (present day eastern border of Nepal) and Teesta River to the Bhutia Kings of Sikkim. Since then Limbuwan comprises all the area between Arun River and Koshi River in the west to Kunchenjunga Mountains and Mechi River in the east.
• In the beginning of 15th century, the descendants of King Sirijonga became weak and Limbuwan again fell into chaos and anarchy. At the time Lowland Limbuwan Kingdom of Morang was ruled by King Sangla Ing. Sangla Ing declared independence and became the first independent ruler of Morang in a century. His son Pungla Ing adopted Hinduism and changed his name into Aamar Raya Ing. He was succeeded by his descendents, who also bore Hindu names. Kirti Narayan Raya Ing, Aap Narayan Raya Ing, Jarai Narayan Raya Ing, Ding Narayan Raya Ing, and Bijay Narayan Raya Ing.
• King Bijay Narayan Raya Sanlga Ing built a new town in the middle of Varatappa and Shangori fort and named it Bijaypur after him. He had no issue and died without an heir.
• Bijaypur town was founded in 1584 AD and is currently located next to Dharan, Sunsari District. Bijaypur town remained the capital of Morang Kingdom and Limbuwan region until the Gorkha Limbuwan War in 1774 AD.
• It was the most powerful and influential of all the Kingdoms in Limbuwan region and was able to establish its hegemony among all the other Limbu rulers. But in 1609 AD Kirant King Lo hang Sen of Sen dynasty captured Morang and ruled it for seven generations.
• King of Phedap Murray Hang was made the chief minister of Morong. He stayed in Bijaypur and the King of Morong made his post hereditary. Murray Hang was given a Hindu name and he became Bidya Chandra Raya . His descendents remained Chief Ministers of Morong until Buddhi Karna Raya . Buddhi Karna Raya succeeded the last Sen King of Morang Kama Datta sen and sat in the throne of Bijaypur Palace in 1769 AD.
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• Dharan is a tourist destination in its own right. Communication is mainly in Nepali and English. People who are English speakers should have no problem comprehending many signs and road maps in Nepal.
• Beyond Bhedetar lies the eastern hilly district such as Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Phidim, Terathum. Dharan serves as a gateway to some of the remote tourist attractions like Kumbhakarna Himal, Kanchenjunga, Makalu Barun National Park, Arun Valley, Tinjure-Milke (Rhododendron Protection Area), Gupha Lake, Hyatrung Fall, and Sabha Pokhari. They are quite further and therefore require extended day trips.
• To the south of Dharan is the city of Biratnagar and connecting towns, all within an hour's drive. The towns of Tararah and Itahari are popular with the local population of Dharan.
• Dharan, with its diverse population has numerous centers of worship i.e. temples, churches and a mosque. Bijaypur hill is of a particular significance, as it has several temples of importance, such as Dantakali temple, Pindeshwar temple, Budha Subba Temple and Panch Kanya. These temples are of historical and archaeological importance in as much as religious. These temples are centers for rituals, fairs and events.
• Other potential tourism prospects include:
• White water rafting in Tamur River, starting from Tamur Tamur to Chatara Ghat.
• Paragliding from surrounding hills and Bhedetar for the dare-devils.
• Development of Panchakanya, a Natural Park into a mini zoo.
• Protection and development of flora and fauna of Chaarkose forest.
• Cable car at Dharan-Bishnupaduka-Baraha Kshetra.
• Better advertisement of Babadham fair.
• Construction of an airport in Dharan.
• Some measures taken by the Municipality of Dharan to promote tourism:
• Emphasis on the development infrastructures of the city.
• Support development and management of Pindeshwar Babadham fair, Baraha Kshetra fair and Bishnupaduka fair to promote religious tourism.
• Budhasubba Football Tournaments coordinated by the municipality every year.
• Annual publication of a brochure and city information of Dharan.
• Publication and distribution of postcards and photographs of Dharan and Bhedetar.
• Promote Dharan festivals. E.g. Dharan Mahotsav.
• Dharan Clock Tower.
• Development of the Saptarangi Park (Park of Seven Colours) and Panchakanya Natural Park.
• Financial and other assistance to the development of a privately run Yalambar Park.

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This was years ago...A weary traveller, not from around these parts, sought shelter. It was getting dark, and he needed a place to spend the night,” says Tej Kumari Chitrakar. “I thought it would do no harm to let him sleep in our corridor. He was a Pardesi, after all...I couldn’t think of anything bad that could come from giving him one night’s shelter here.”

Tej Kumari has an animated sort of expression on her face. You sense that she really wants to tell this story. What she is about to confide in you amazes her, and she wishes for you to share in that wonder. “It was late at night when I heard frantic knocks and opened the door to find the Pardesi on the landing. ‘The Devatas will not let me sleep,’ he told me. ‘They have hit and prodded me all these hours, and will not let me rest’.”

You find yourself in an old settlement in Bhaktapur, in a home that’s not quite like all the others. It is the holy house of Ya-che Tole where Tej Kumari’s husband, Purna, moulds, paints and brings to life the 13 sanctified masks of the Nava Durga Naach each year.

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On the northern face of Rupakot hill, the highest point in Khotang, sits the village of Jalapa. Diktel, purportedly a ‘sugam’ city, lies on the other side five hours away. But Jalapa, with nearly 600 houses, has become the model village in the district.

In the early eighties, five SLC graduates from here—Jaiswor, Pratiman, Tanka, Ram Prasad and Kumar Rai—started a campaign to upgrade the lower secondary school in their village to a secondary school. Against the scepticism of the elders, these young men formed the Janahit Yuba Samaj, a club, something not encouraged during the then-Panchayat regime. Regardless, they banded together to raise awareness on the importance of having a high school and began gathering funds by playing deusi.

Their strategy was thus: Three of the employed club members would contribute two percent of their income to the fund while the others would donate two rupees per month. During rice planting season, villagers were encouraged to put a day’s wage towards the fund. Donations picked up so that in two years’ time, the villagers were even selling property to invest in the school. Still, the local administration refused permission for the upgrade—a mostly political call, based on the fact that the club members were supporters of the multiparty system. It wasn’t until they’d appealed to the Regional Education Directorate, Dhankuta, in 1983, that they were finally given permission.

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KATHMANDU - As the chief of building codes and earthquake safety of the Lalitpur Municipality, located about 10 kilometers from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, Sainik Raj Singh has the tough job of cracking down on builders who fail to comply with the government's construction regulations." One can make many enemies by enforcing the codes but it is high time that we follow the rules strictly," the official told IPS in his office in Lalitpur.

Singh is not on a power trip - he is simply concerned about the number of unplanned buildings in Kathmandu, which has been ranked the world's most "at-risk" city for earthquakes by GeoHazards International (GHI).

Situated on top of the active Indian tectonic plate, which is

constantly pushing up against the Tibetan tectonic plate, Kathmandu was found to be extremely vulnerable to seismic activity, which can cause landslides and fires along with earthquakes.

While the city's 1.5 million residents are on alert, the city itself is unprepared for what experts believe is an inevitable disaster: the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) estimates that over 90% of existing buildings in Kathmandu and other cities in Nepal are non-engineered.

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With the recent completion of the Chame-Besisahar road in Manang, a three-four day journey from Besisahar to Chame now only takes six hours. The 65km road linking Chame in Manang with Besisahar in Lamjung has made the lives of residents much easier, now that the transport and supply of goods has become faster. The road, which took 11 years to complete, was built by the Nepal Army.
With the new road, the price of daily essentials has decreased by around 30 percent. For instance, an LPG cylinder, which previously went for Rs 3,100, now costs Rs 2,300. One kg of pulses sell for Rs 140, the same quantity cost Rs 160 earlier. A packet of iodine-laced salt costs Rs 35 while it was Rs 45 earlier.
“With the construction of the road, the transport of goods has become cheaper, thus decreasing prices in the market,” said Anita Lama, former chairperson of the Chame Yuwa Samuha.

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The Kosi River—also Saptakoshi , is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India, known for its seven Himalayan tributaries. Some of the rivers of the Kosi River system, such as the Arun, the Sun Kosi and the Bhote Koshi, originate in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganges.
Along with its tributaries, the river drains 29,400 km2 (11,400 sq mi) in China (mainly the upper Arun basin north of the Mount Everest region), 30,700 km2 (11,900 sq mi) in Nepal (the eastern third of the country), and 9,200 km2 (3,600 sq mi) in India.
The river basin is surrounded by ridges which separate it from the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the north, the Gandaki in the west and the Mahananda in the east. The river is joined by major tributaries in the Mahabharat Range approximately 48 km (30 mi) north of the Indo-Nepal border. Below the Siwaliks, the river has built up a megafan some 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi) in extent, breaking into more than twelve distinct channels, all with shifting courses due to flooding. Kamlā, Bāghmati (Kareh) and Budhi Gandak are major tributaries of Koshi in India, besides minor tributaries such as Bhutahi Balān.

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The Kali Gandaki or Gandaki River (also known as the Narayani in southern Nepal and the Gandak in India) is one of the major rivers of Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. It is also called Krishna Gandaki in Nepal. In Nepal the river is notable for its deep gorge through the Himalayas and its enormous hydroelectric potential. It has a total catchment area of 46,300 square kilometers (17,900 sq mi), most of it in Nepal. The basin also contains three of the world's 14 mountains over 8,000m, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna I. Dhaulagiri is the highest point of the Gandaki basin. It lies between the similar Kosi system to the east and the Karnali (Ghaghara) system to the west.
The Kali Gandaki river source is at the border with Tibet at an altitude of 6,268 m (20,564 ft) at the Nhubine Himal Glacier in the Mustang region of Nepal.
The headwaters stream on some maps is named the Chhuama Khola and then, nearing Lo Manthang, the Nhichung Khola or Choro Khola. The Kali Gandaki then flows southwest (with the name of Mustang Khola on old, outdated maps) through a sheer-sided, deep canyon before widening at the steel footbridge at Chele, where part of its flow funnels through a rock tunnel, and from this point the now wide river is called the Kali Gandaki on all maps. In Kagbeni a major tributary named Johng Khola, Kak Khola or Krishnaa descends from Muktinath.

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Rupa Lake ,Rupa Tal is a freshwater lake in Nepal located in the south-east of Pokhara valley that includes Lekhnath municipality. It is the third biggest lake in Pokhara valley of Nepal and at an altitude of 600 m (1,969 ft) covering area about 1.35 km2 (0.5 sq mi) with an average water depth 3 m and maximum depth 6 m.The lake is elongated north to south and is fed by perennial streams. Its watershed area is 30 km², where The main inflow of water is from Talbesi stream, whereas Dhovan khola is the feeder stream with its outlet Tal khola at Sistani ghat. It supports a number of floral and faunal species. A total of 36 species of waterbirds have been recorded in the lake which represents about 19 percent of the total 193 wetland-dependent birds found in Nepal.

Rupa lake is the second main tourism attraction after Begnas Lake outside the Pokhara city. It provides enough space for boating experiences for national and international visitors. Cage culture as well as pen culture have been practiced in Rupa lake for fish farming. Farmers in the Kaski district of Nepal have formed the Rupa Lake Rehabilitation and Fisheries Cooperatives Limited to help protect the watershed.

 

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Begnas Lake is a freshwater lake in Kaski district of Nepal located in the south-east of the Pokhara Valley. The lake is the second largest, after Phewa lake, among the eight lakes in Pokhara Valley.Water level in the lake fluctuates seasonally due to rain, and utilization for irrigation. The water level is regulated through a dam constructed in 1988 on the western outlet stream, Khudi Khola.
Begnas Lake area with a number of resorts is a popular destination for tourists visiting Pokhara.The water from the lake is used for irrigation and some parts of the lake are used as caged fisheries. The Begnas lake area has a number of swampy areas around it, many of which have been converted to paddy fields day by day.

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Thamel is a popular tourist destination in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is a full Wi-fi zone in Nepal. Thamel has been the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades starting from the hippie movement when many artists came to Nepal and spent weeks in Thamel. Even though Thamel has been referred to as the "ghetto" by some, most low-budget travelers consider it a tourist heaven.
Its concentration of narrow streets are lined with small shops selling everything from food, and provisions to clothes, walking gear, cakes, pastries, music, DVDs, handicrafts, travel agents, and budget hotels.
The area has many very good restaurants. Although prices tend to be significantly higher than non-tourist areas, food hygiene is generally a lot better too.

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