Eastern Nepal Highlights

In the beginning, as it is told, there was a thick jungle where the modern town of Dharan stands now. Fellers had set up dharan (wooden platforms to saw logs). That’s how the town got it’s name. The British Gorkha Recruit Center was established in 1953 and this triggered the hubbub of a town. In 1962, Nepal was divided into 14 administrative zones and 75 districts and Dharan was made the Zonal Headquarters of Kosi Zone. At first the town was divided into eleven wards, but in 1980 Banjjhogara Gaon Panchayat at the east and Ghopa Gaon Panchayat at the west were added to Dharan Town Panchayat. This expansion led to re-formation of the wards, and thus the town was divided into nineteen wards.

Home of many different races, castes, creeds and ethnic groups, Dharan is proud to be a center of education, health, tourism and trade. And it’s trying to come up not only as a model municipality in the eastern region but also in the whole of Nepal. Although Dharan doesn’t possess so many places of natural beauty, it’s a tourist center of the eastern part of the country as it is the gateway to the eastern hilly districts. It’s a meeting point of mountainous region and the Terai plains. The geographical location, climate, religious shrines, places of tourist importance, and places of religious and tourist importance at the vicinity of Dharan make it an important destination of national and international tourists.
Dharan is the gateway to beautiful tourist attractions of the eastern hills of the country: Dhankutta, Taplejung, Kumbhakarna Himal, Kanchenjunga, Makalu-Varun National Park, Arun Valley, Tinjure-Milke (Rhododendron Protection Area), Gupha Lake, Hyatrung Fall, and Sabha Pokhari. These too add to Dharan’s importance as a tourist center. The Vijayapur hillock at the foot of which Dharan lies, many different temples and shrines of both religious and historical importance, rituals and fairs in those shrines, Bhedetar where it is cool all the year round, Charles Point (Bhedetar View) where the British Prince Charles had climbed, and Jatras and fairs growing in Dharan add to the tourist trade developing in Dharan.

Different castes, creeds, ethnic groups and their traditional cultures and life-styles too add to Dharan’s importance as the tourist center. Lakhe naach and Gai jatra of Newar people, Dhan naach of Limbus, Chandi naach of Rai people, Selo of Tamangs, Rodighar of Gurungs, Baalan and Sangini of Brahmin and Chhetris are other attractions of Dharan. 
 

Popular Destinations to Visit:

Pindewhor: The temple of Pindewhor situated at Vijaypur is famous pilgrimage site of the eastern Nepal. The temple, popularly known as Pindewhor baba Dham. There is located holy pond called Sarashwati Sarowar and by the site of this pond there is well, even when the pond gets dried, the wall all above the pond’ s surface is always full of water. This has remained mysterious from ancient time to this age to the religious people. The increasing number of devotees shows that it is getting popular day by day. On every Monday in the month of Shrawan (Jun-Aug) large number of devotees from different places comes with bare foot to pay homage to Pindeshwor Baba with holy water from Saptakoshi.

Dantakali: Situated in the middle of the beautiful hill of Vijaypur, the holy temple of Dantakali is famous among the Hindus as the place where the sacred teeth of the goddess Satidevi lie. Thousands of devotees come here to worship; mainly fir first nine days of Dashain a great crowds of people can be seen.Buda Subba: Situated amidst the tall trees and bamboo groves, the temple of Budasubba is one of the four major temples at Vijaypur. Unlike many other Hindu temples with the images of gods and goddesses, the temple enshrines three tomb-like mounds believed to be the tombs of king Buddhikarna, the last king of the Vijaypur state. The place offers a unique example of religious harmony as the Mongolian especially of the kirantis I worshipped with equal religious fervour by both the indo-Aryans and Kiratis. In addition, many miracles can be witnessed there: bamboos there do not have pointed top and gnat and crows are never seen in the territory and dew drops never fall here.

Panchakanya: Situated 1 km. north of Vijaypur hill, it is the temple of five goddesses. it is a historical temple supposed to have built by a king of Sen Dynasty. A beautiful evergreen forest surrounds the temple where peace, tranquility and the beauty of nature regimes.

Shiva Jhata: Situated 8 km. north-east of Dharan, Shiva Jhata attracts thousand of Hindu pilgrims as well as sightseers from the different parts of the county. The place is turning into a famous picnics spot day by day.

Bishnu Paduka: Bishnu Paduka, situated 8 km north west of Dharan, is one of the most ancient places of Hindu pilgrimages. On the foot of Mahabarathha hill, stands the small temple of Vishnu Paduka, which enshrines a stone with a foot print on it, believed to be that of lord Vishnu. Hindu pilgrims congregate here in thousands to pay homage to the souls of their ancestors. The significance of the place is not less than that of Gaya in India in this regard.