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| Palpa District |
Palpa District, a part of Lumbini Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Tansen as its headquarters, covers an area of 1,373 km² and has a population (2001) of 268,558.
Palpa is not really a tourist destination, and compared to other cities, it's one of Nepal's less visited places. Other destinations in the area such as Pokhara, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur but palpa may be more interesting to visit.
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| Palpa Gate |
Before Nepal was united, Tansen was the capital of the Palpa kingdom ruled by the Sen Dynasty. The history of Tansen dates back to the 16th century. Prithvi Narayan Shah, who united Nepal, mother was from the Sen Family. For years the Gorkha and Palpa kingdoms were in alliance and combined they took control of western Nepal. In 1806, Prithivipal Sen, the last king of Palpa, was asked to come to Kathmandu and he was beheaded. Palpa became parted of the Kathmandu kingdom and Tansen became the administrative city for the area. Members of the Shah and Rana family have ruled the region, often after being exiled from Kathmandu trying to overthrow the king of the time.
Go to Palpa (Tansen)
Tansen is between Pokhara (5 hr, 110km) and Sunauli/Bhairawa (2 hr, 55 km), just off the Siddhartha Highway, and is a pleasant place to stop on the way between the two places. It is the administrative center for the area.Best Places to visit in Palpa
Tansen Bazar
The township of Tansen is among a few towns outside the capital which bears a rich legacy of the traditional art and architecture. Perched on the lap of the spectacular Srinagar Danda (hill) Tansen, commands a gorgeous panorama of the Himalayas as well as the plains of Terai. Located at an elevation of 1310 meters Tansen is a pleasant place to visit during any season of the year. The hill of Srinagar, half an hour’s walk up Tansen Bazaar at an elevation of 1524 m. is rare vantage point to view the contrasting manifestation of nature. An Incredibly Long panorama of the mountains encompassing Kanjiroba, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Langtang Himal at a stretch is visible from here on one hand, while on the other the plains of Madi valley and the bigger terai also comes to distinct view from the same point. Tansen is a good put off point for short as well as long treks. You can visit some of the beautiful points on the Kali Gandaki river such as Ranighat Palace and Ramdi Ghat the dense and serene woody slopes of Rambhapani and Satyawati lake.For longer treks you can choose any area in Annapurna-Dhaulagiri region such as Dhorpatan, Jomsom, Ghorepani or Annapurna Sanctuary. Tansen also provides opportunity for study of Buddhist culture and the life and culture of Magar tribes.Siddha Baba Temple
The Siddha Baba Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a pilgrimage site for many Hindu devotees. The temple is found on the hills that border Butwal & Palpa. It is said that Siddha Baba will grant the wishes of the devotees who visit the temple. Every time a person's wish is granted, that person will release a pigeon at the temple. Interestingly, there is a large number of pigeons found around the temple.In visiting the Siddha Baba Temple, it would be best to avoid going here on Saturdays if you want to avoid a large crowd. Saturday is the weekly holiday in Nepal, hence a large number of local devotees come here during that day.
Ranighat
Palpa Ranighat: Visit the ancient building (palace) set on a massive rock bed at the bank of the Kali Gandaki river for viewing palace garden, stone walls, and a small shrine. This palace was built in 1892 by Governor Khadka Shamser in memory of his wife Tej Kumari, and is often called the Taj Mahal of Nepal.Amar Narayan Temple
This temple is a traditional three-tiered pagoda-style temple built in 1806. It has well carved doors and has some intricate woodwork. It has erotic figures on the roof struts. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful temples outside of Kathmandu Valley. The temple was built by Amar Singh Thapa, who annexed Tansen to become part of Nepal.Shreenagar Hill:
One of the most picturesque spots in the whole Palpa region, Shreenagar hill abounds in scenic grander and magnificent natural surroundings. A mere 30 minutes climb on foot or 10 minutes drive from the town of Tansen, One would reach the top of the hill which commands a unique spectrum of natural extravaganza-from the snowcapped Himalayan peaks in the north to the lush green wide expanse of plains of Terai in the south, and of course, the panoramic view of the Tansen town. The impressive meadow on the hill top is an ideal spot to view the breathtaking scenes of majestic Dhaulagiri, annapurna and the famed twin peaks of Machhapuchare-the fishtail mountain. also, many beautiful short walks and excursions may be enjoyed from this point. To the comfort of the visitors, there are newly built facilities like cottages and camping sites on the top of the hill. An added attraction is a recently built ‘Twa-dewa’, a huge Newari style bronze lamp stand. |
| Palpa Ranighat |
Ramdi
A half-day walk through fertile landscape shaped by teRamdi-Riverrraced rice fields lead to Ramdi at the banks of the Kali Gandaki River. Ramdi is a ‘Ghat’ (cremation place) where people bring their deceased relatives for their final rites. Besides this, Ramdi is famous for its cave temples, where the farmers from surrounding villages offer milk to protect their cattle from leopards and jackals.Tansen Durbar
Built in 1927 AD by Pratap Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, the Durbar is a grand imposing palace in the heart of the town. Once it was the seat of the Rana governors, the Durbar is now the district secretariat of Palpa district. |
| Palpa Hiking |
Where Stay?
Mostly best Hotels is found in Tansen. There are some undesirable, basic hotels near the bus station for around Rs 100. Hotel The Bajra (20443), a little up the hill, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 100/150 and with bath and hot water for Rs 250/350.Hotel Gautam Siddhartha (20280), up the hill, has basic, quiet, clean rooms for Rs 160. Hotel Srinagar (20045; fax 20467), on the ridge above town 2km away, is a comfortable place that has rooms for $30/40. It is well located and has great views. It is best to call in advance to make sure that have a room available. It is used mainly by tour groups. It is a good way above the town, and you can call and have them pick you up.
Hotel the White Lake (20503, 20291), up the hill, has comfortable rooms for Rs 400/600. It has good views and is a good value.
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| Palpa Tansen |
Where to Eat?
Nanglo is one of the popular restuarnt in Tansen. It is situated in the middle of the Bazaar.We can get all the Nepali as well as Western foods over here.The resturant is decorated in a ancient way considering all the Nepali culture and traditions.The people of the town usually go there to have a family gatherings and also for lots of special celebrations.Nanglo West, a branch of a Kathmandu-based restaurant, has a pleasant indoor and outdoor seating area. It serves really good Nepali and Newar food, and decent Western food.
Doko Restaurant has Tibetan and Newari food.
Hotel Srinagar has a good restaurant.
Travel
There are many buses to Butwal (Rs 25) and to Sunauli/Bhairawa (Rs 44). There is one government Sajha Yatayat bus daily to Kathmandu (Rs 140). There is one bus to Pokhara (Rs 95) and others coming from Butwal. There is a bus to Kakarbhitta. To go to other place in the Terai, you change buses at Butwal.You can also take one of the more comfortable and faster semi-tourist buses that go between Pokhara and Sonauli. These buses run along the Siddhartha Highway, so you have to get off at Bartun, which is the village three km from Tansen at the road that turns off to Tansen. From there you can either get a bus to Tansen or you can walk up the steep 1km short-cut that begins north of the intersection.
The highway running north–south has some great views, so you may want to ride on the roof. If you are coming here from Pokhara for the best views sit on the right side of the bus.
There are no rickshaws or taxis in Tansen. The better hotels can usually arrange a vehicle or a motorcycle hire. You can rent a bicycle at some guest houses.
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