Chitwan District

11:32 PM |

  • Chitwan District , is one of the seventy-five Districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district is in the western part of Narayani Zone with Bharatpur, the Fifth largest city of Nepal, as its district headquarters. It covers an area of 2,218 km2 (856 sq mi), and in 2011 had a population of 579,984 people. Bharatpur is a commercial and service centre of central south Nepal and merger destination for higher education, health care and transportation of the region.
  • The district takes its name from the Chitwan Valley, one of Nepal's Inner Terai valleys between the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges, both considered foothills of the Himalayas.
  • Bharatpur, on the bank of Narayani River, is the main town with numerous shopping zones where people come from all over the district and neighbouring districts.
  • Now there are about 40 Village Development Committees (each of which has nine wards or villages) and one sub-Metropolitan city - Bharatpur and a municipality Ratnanagar each of which has more than nine wards or urban areas.
  • Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the Terai region, which formerly extended over the foothills of Nepal.

  • Agriculture and industry

  • The people inhabiting the Chitwan District are predominantly peasant farmers cultivating mainly food and cash crops such as rice, maize, wheat, beans, lentils, mustard and vegetables. The district is the major maize producing area in Nepal, with an area under maize cultivation of 27,170 ha (104.9 sq mi) in the year 2003-04. Maize is cultivated on irrigated /seasonal irrigated land in winter and spring, and on rain fed land in summer. Due to an easy road access, maize produced can be easily distributed to other parts of the country. The poultry industry in the district constitutes a significant proportion of the country's poultry industry.
  • Chitwan is famous in Nepal for mustard growing and production of mustard oil. This popularity of the mustard in Chitwan is attributed to the predominant soil type silt, resulting from the flooding of the Narayani River and tributaries. Chitwan is also profusely spotted with clay lands, which are very good for growing rice, wheat and vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, radish, potato, broccoli, cucumbers, pumpkins, and carrot. Chitwan is also famous for floriculture, mushroom cultivation and bee keeping.
  • At present Bharatpur's largest business area, Narayangadh, is less accessible due to the movement of the main bus terminal due to the previous king's son's anger with the politics of the citizens of the city. This bus terminal is however no longer in use following a successful people's movement in 2006. It is believed that Nepali leftist revolutionary leader Prachanda spent his childhood and youth in Chitwan. Chitwan is adapting the New Community Movement South Korean model of development.believed that Nepali leftist revolutionary leader Prachanda spent his childhood and youth in Chitwan. Chitwan is adapting the New Community Movement South Korean model of development.

  • Bharatpur Airport in the central part of the city offered four domestic airlines and one government airline with seven to 11 flights daily to Kathmandu. Mahendra East West Highway connects the city to various parts of the country, and another highway connects Bharatpur with Kathmandu to the north east and with Birgunj on the border of India to the south. Bus, micro bus and other land transportation are available to go out of the city, for internal transportation taxi, rickshaw and car/jeep hiring is available. Hakim Chowk and Chaubiskothi, Shaheed Chok, Pul Chowk, Bel Chowk and Lila Chowk are major centres at intersections of major roads.
  • Four major local FM radio stations broadcast from Bharatpur. They are "Synergy FM", "Hamro FM", "Radio Triveni", "Radio Chitwan", "Radio Kotagiri", "Kalika music FM", "Kalika FM" and "Narayani FM". The city also has Beso Channel, "Aviyan Channel" and Unique Television.
  • Land line telephone services and mobile telephone services are available to the majority of areas. There are multiple private Internet service providers.


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Butwal

1:02 PM |

  • Butwal  is a city in southern Nepal in Rupandehi District, in Lumbini Zone—of which it is the administrative center. It is located 240 kilometres west of Kathmandu and 22 kilometers north of Siddharthanagar, at the northern edge of the Terai plain below the Siwalik Hills. Its name is derived from Batauli Bazaar in the town's oldest district.
  • Through highway and air links, Butwal connects western Nepal to the capital Kathmandu. It has highway connections to the Indian Border at Sunauli and to hill towns Tansen and Pokhara. Butwal is a major gateway to Nepal.
  • History
  • Fossils of ancient hominoids Ramapithecus were found near the Tinau River as early as 1932, including a 10.1 million year old tooth.
  • Historically Butwal connected Nepali people with their Indian neighbors. As the British East India Company annexed Awadh from its hereditary rulers while the Shah Dynasty attempted to annex the Terai, Butwal became one of bones of contention leading to the Gurkha War 1814-16.
  • When King Tribhuvan fled to India in 1950 during the revolt against the Rana dynasty he travelled through Butwal. Then it was little more than a village on the western bank of Tilottama River (also known as Tinau). With completion in 1968 of Siddhartha Highway from the border at Sunauli through Butwal to Pokhara and then in the 1990s Mahendra Highway across the full east-west expanse of Nepal's Terai, Butwal has developed rapidly.
  • Economy
  • The economy of Butwal centers around education, ment of Batauli Bazar at the edge of the hills in old Butwal. Presently the main trading centre are near Traffic Chok and Puspalal Park. Numerous shops sell Chinese and Indian goods. Butwal also has small and medium scale manufacturers of woodwork, ironsheet, metalware and aluminium sheet. There are rice mills including Siddhababa Rice mill, Aryal Rice Mill (Jharbaira-Murgiya) and Sita rice mill.Butwal leads the sale of marbles,tiles sanitary and hardwares in nepal ,we can find them at cheaper cost in comparision to other places nepal ,like usha marbles,narshang hardware etc, students from nearby hilly regions contributes to Butwal's economy. Additional income is remitted by expatriate Nepalis and from Gurkha Soldiers employed by the Indian and British Armies.
  • Transport
  • Buses are the dominant form of transportation. Private operators offer service to various destinations. Until 2003 most of the fleet was older large buses; since then operators have added newer minibuses popularly called micro. Older jeeps are used to take people to nearby hilly regions. Rickshaws are used for short-distance urban transport, however taxicabs are gaining popularity with increasing affluence. Motorcycles are a common means of personal transportation around town. The number registered has increased from 1,200 in 1999 to 80,000 in 2008. Nearly 100 buses depart to Kathmandu from Butwal daily, from 5am morning from Butwal, and at every 20-30 min bus will depart from Butwal to Pokhara, through Siddhartha highway. With the improvisation of the main road that runs on the mid of Butwal into 6 lanes and also due to the provision of second and third highways running along the inner areas, transportation has become more efficient, well-managed and accessible to the residents.
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Dharan

11:42 PM |

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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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In The City Of Devotees

12:52 AM |
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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Living The Dream

12:50 AM |
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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Quakes could collapse Kathmandu

1:43 PM |


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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The Chame-Besisahar road in Manang

5:39 AM |
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

12:47 PM |
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

12:38 PM |

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

12:34 PM |
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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