Visiting Dhangadhi:an offbeat tourist place,an economic centre of Nepal with unique harmony in its cultural & social customs,eye catching sceneries,lakes, parks,temples & tasty local cuisine

On conclusion of our exciting tour of the Dudhwa National Park, described by me in my last blog ,we decided to pay a visit to the bordering Nepalese town Dhangadhi distt. Kailali (30 kms from Palia Kalan,distt. Lakhimpur-khiri,UP)& explore some Official buildings ,market places exhibiting colourful dresses, handloom & textiles products! We also got a chance to visit the Haat Bazzars organised by farmers displaying their agricultural produces ,spices & handicrafts for sale!This was a very colourful & beautiful sight with local people purchasing items of their day to day needs !We enjoyed the place enormously despite the short visit which I am sharing with my valued readers !Incidently its the 10th Foreign Country that I have set my foot upon apart from my motherland India of which I am a proud citizen !

Dhangadhi (Nepali: धनगढी) is a sub-metropolitan city and the district headquarters of Kailali District in Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal. It shares a border with Uttar Pradesh, India in the south, Godawari and Gauriganga Municipality in the North, Kailari Rural Municipality in the east and Kanchanpur District in the west. Dhangadhi is a sub-metropolis divided into 19 wards. It has a population of about 147,181 and thus is the 10th biggest city of Nepal. It has an area of 261.75 km2 (101.06 sq mi). It is one of the major cities of Far – West Province of Nepal along with Mahendranagar.

Dhangadhi was established in 1976. It became the first sub-metropolitan city in the far-west after it was upgraded to a sub-metropolis from municipality status on 18 September 2015 as the village development committees Fulbari and Urma were merged into Dhangadhi and later ward no 9 and 11 of former Attariya Municipality were also merged. There is a fable. Rana Tharu of Dhangadhi used to bury their wealth in the ground due to the fear of robbers. That is why the name of Dhangadhi remained Dhangadhi.

Economy :

Dhangadhi is the economic center of Far-Western Nepal and the one of the developing cities of Nepal. It is one of the trading centres of Sudurpashchim Province. The city has health care facilities, a number of parks, private schools, colleges, and internet service providers. There are medical, engineering, and management colleges that are affiliated to Tribhuvan University and Far Western University.The city attracts migrants from the surrounding area, moving to the city for educational and health services.

The city has many commercial banks such as regional office of Nepal Rastra Bank, National Commercial Bank, Agricultural Development Bank, Everest Bank, Nabil Bank, Bank of Kathmandu, Nepal Credit and Commerce Bank, Siddharth Bank, Machhapuchhre Bank, Kumari Bank, Nepal Bangladesh Bank and Kanchan Development Bank.

A number of haat bazaars are held each week in different parts of the town, where farmers from the rural hinterland set up stalls to trade agricultural products, spices and handicrafts.Every year Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes Sudurpashchim Mahotsav in Dhangadhi on the month of Mangsir (mid Nov. to mid December).Main crops are rice & maize.

About Dhangadhi (Credit: wiki travel):

Dhangadhi city is one of the western gates of Nepal. It is situated in the Far-Western Development Region and shares border with Uttar Pradesh state, India. Dhangadhi with the population 104,047 people (2011 Nepal census) is the 9th biggest city of Nepal. It is a capital of Kailali District, which comes under the province of Seti. Dhangadhi is the main hub for the Far-Western Region.

A visitor travelling by air can directly reach Dhangadhi, a hub city in the Far-West region of Nepal. There are daily two flights from Kathmandu and it takes approximately 1 and a quarter of an hour to reach here. Air fare for foreign nationals to Dhangadhi- around NPR2000 and For Nepali Nationals- air fare- NPR11000.The two Airlines which are operating flights to and from Dhnagadhi are Buddhaair and Yetiair

By road:

There are several bus services that link the Far-West cities like Dhangadhi with Kathmandu. Dhangadhi is approximately 680kms away from Kathmandu. It takes nearly 14 to 16 hours from Kathmandu, the capital city, to reach these provincial towns. Starting the journey from Kathmandu, on the way to the Dhnagadhi, visitors come across several places of interest: Chitwan National Park (approximately 3 hour – drive from Kathmandu), Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha (3 hour-drive from Chitwan National Park), and Bardia National Park (7 hour-drive from Lumbini).

Visitors coming from India can enter Dhangadhi through border entry points, which is only 5km the city. From Dheli it takes approximately a 8-hour drive to reach the border entry point. The Dhangadhi entry point is open from 5 am to 8 pm for all modes of tranportation. The main bus park in Delhi where you can board a bus for the Far-West is Inter State Bus Terminal( ISBT) at Anand Vihar. From Lucknow (a city in India), you can board a bus at Kesharbagh Bus Station.

Get around:

In Dhangadhi there are several public bus lines, but the easiest way go get around in the town is just to take a rickshaw. Dhangadhi town is a starting point for any trip in the Far-Western Region. To get to the hilly areas in the Far West is possible to do by public bus. The main bus station is located on the main road near the Jalsa Hotel. You can also book a car through one of the local travel agencies who will normally give you a good deal as well. Make sure you get a 4WD vehicle if heading for the mountains.

In Dhangadhi there is Tourism Information Centre, where you can get assistance in arranging transportation as well as for planning of your trip. Tourist Information Centre is located on L.N. Chowk in Dhangadi Opening hours Monday – Friday, and Sunday (10:00 – 17:00) You can reach by phone at . +977-091-521900

Places worth visiting :

1)Jokhar Lake – Located on the eastern outskirts of Dhangadi, Jokhar is a wetland, often frequented by people seeking relaxation, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It has diverse species of flora and fauna even in such a close proximity of the urban sprawl. You can enjoy boating here or trek around the adjoining jungle, famous for its nursery with traditional Ayurvedic herbs.

2)Mohana Bird Watch – Approximately 1.7 km west of Dhangadhi city, lies the Mohana River Corridor, a habitat of 111 species of birds (resident and migratory), five protected species of reptiles and amphibians (golden monitor lizard, Burmese rock python, Bengal monitor, elongated tortoise, and Indian flapshell turtle), and 12 species of mammals.

3)Behada Baba Temple ,4)Naina Devi temple ,5) Shivpuri Dham, 6)Laxminarain temple ,7)Botanical gardens ,8) Dhangarhi premier League(Local Cricket Club),9)Aircraft Museum

Activities :

Bird Watching – Mohana River Corridor located just 1.7km away from Dhangadhi is an attractive place for birdwatchers. It is a home for more than 100 species of birds. The best time for bird watching at Mohana River is morning time between 6am and 7am.

Cycling – In Dhangadhi there is a possibility to experience Nepalese rural life, enjoying wonderful flat land landscapes. It is one of the best experiences to roam around on a bicycle. It takes just 30 minutes to get to the Jhakor Lake. A nice cycle tour one can undertake by morning bike at dawn to the Mohana River or to one of the nearby villages.

Tharu Cultural Experience – The Rana Tharu live in the southwestern corner of Nepal. Ethnically, their background is Rajput. Legend has it that after the Mughals invaded India in the 16th century, a Mughals king wanted to marry one of their women. The women and children fled east and settled in this forested region while their men stayed behind to fight the Mughals. When the women heard that all their men had been killed, they married the slaves who had attended them on their travels, and settled permanently in their new home. The swamps kept outsiders away, and the Rana Tharu developed resistance to malaria. Over the next four centuries, their own unique culture and language emerged. Exploring the surrounding villages on foot or by bullock cart is one of the best ways to experience rural life in Nepal and absorb the simplicity of a farming community. You can enjoy the rhythms of the madal (musical instrument), watch the unique ethnic dances or even join the dancers.

Buy:

In Dhangadhi there is a group of 30 women, who are involved in handicraft trade to support their families. Some products you can see and buy by visiting the group. The contact person is Mrs. Rajkumar Mahatau

stay :

Dinesh Cottage, Bandevi Tole 1, Dhangadhi, Kailali, Nepal, ☎ +977-091-520361/526007. NPR1400. 

Devotee Hotel, Dhangadhi-5, Hasanpur, Kailali District, ☎ Tel : +977-91-521618, 523918, NPR1800. 

Saathi Hotel, L.N. Chowk Dhangadhi, Kailali District, ☎ +977-91-521350,523488,

Jalsa Hotel, Ratopul- 04, Dhangadhi, Kailali, Nepal, ☎ +977-91-523959, 523977,  

Rubus Hotel, Shivamarg, Baiya-behadi, Dhangadhi-2, Kailali, Nepal, ☎ +977-91-521260/524890/526390,

Shree Jagadamba Hotel, Dhnagadhi, Kailali, Nepal (Bishalnagar area), ☎ +977-91-523590, NPR600-2000. 

Religion:

In terms of religion, 93.9% were Hindu, 1.8% Christian, 1.7% Buddhist, 1.5% Muslim and 1.0% Prakriti. In terms of literacy, 75.2% could read and write, 2.1% could only read and 22.6% could neither read nor write.

What is the first religion of Nepal?

According to the 2011 census, 81.3% of the Nepalese population is Hindu, 9.0% are Buddhist, 4.4% are Muslim, 3.0% are Kiratist (indigenous ethnic religion), 1.4% are Christian, 0.1% are Sikhs, 0.1% are Jains and 0.7% follow other religions or no religion.

Which is the oldest religion of Nepal?

Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Nepal go back more than two millennia. In Lumbini, Buddha was born, and Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu is an old and famous Shiva temple of Hindus. Nepal has several other temples and Buddhist monasteries, as well as places of worship for other religious groups.

Best time to visit Dhangadhi :Owing to the greenery the place is mostly hot & humid. Best time to visit is October to March being pleasant weather.

Note:I am grateful to Wikipaedia &Wiki travel for invaluable information on Dhangadhi