Hum Prasad Shrestha, 75, of Sandhikharka, who has seen the thorny forest and deserted Narpani, is amazed by the rejuvenation in tourism. He still remembers the villagers digging the Sandhikharka-Gorusinge road with spades, picks and shovels and bringing a tractor to the district for the first time in 043 BS. At that time, he dug the road with spades, clearing the forest in the same Narpani area.

Narpani, at the foot of the Nartananchal Mountains, had a buffalo grazing pasture around Chaitra/Baishakh. He used to travel this route as a Dhakre (salt carrier) to Paththarkot in Kapilvastu and bring back salt. At that time, no Dhakre lived in Narpani due to the forest and cold. The district headquarters was established in Narpani in 026 BS. Shrestha also took the exam for a government job when he was in a government office and court. He moved to Sandhikharka in 032 BS. His business, which he started in Sandhikharka in 041 Pus, is still ongoing.

Seeing the condition of Narpani during his own lifetime feels like a dream to him. Recently, seeing more potential in Narpani than Sandhikharka, he is opening a hotel with a facility investment of about 100 million. ‘When I think of the Narpani when I dug the road and the current Narpani, it feels like a dream,’ Shrestha said, ‘So much has changed. The forest at that time has now become a tourist destination, I also came to Narpani to do business.’

The reason why Narpani is crowded with tourists is the green scenery of the Nartananchal Mountains and the cool place. Another reason is the Supa Deurali Temple, a religious tourist destination located two kilometers away. After visiting there, pilgrims come to Narpani Picnic Sports. Recently, Narpani has become an attractive tourist destination. In 2040 BS, Baburam Rayamajhi of Balkot built a small temple on the banks of the Supa Khola. Before that, pedestrians used to visit by offering offerings and offerings on the wall. Recently, the widening of the Sandhikharka-Gorusinge road and the presence of a temple on the side of the road have made the journey easier for pilgrims. Due to religious faith, the number of pilgrims visiting Supa Deurali is increasing every year. Shrestha has a dream of earning a lot of money from the hotel business in Narpani. His son Krishna Prasad Shrestha said that the construction of a 22-room hotel has reached the final stage. ‘We have opened the hotel because the influx of tourists from India and the Terai is increasing to escape the heat and enjoy the cool hills,’ he said. ‘We are going to operate a tourist hotel with a seminar hall and facilities for food and accommodation.’ He said that the hotel is going to be operated commercially for food and accommodation facilities as the number of tourists is increasing in Narpani. He said that the tourists coming here will be served local traditional dishes. Economic activity is increasing in Narpani due to tourists compared to the district headquarters.

Locals of Narpani and Khanchikot have also focused on producing vegetables, local chickens, and goats in their fields. There are some hotels here, including the Supa Deurali Narpani Resort. ‘Tourists who come to stay in Narpani like a variety of local dishes,’ said Gopal Poudel, manager of Narpani Resort, ‘Many try to eat local chicken and goat meat dishes. We search for them in all the villages and bring them.’ He said that recently people have also come to Narpani for weddings.’

Hotel resort buildings are being built in this area at a rapid pace. A group including Yamu Thapa has completed the construction of a resort on the Narpani road with an investment of Rs 90 million. He said that the resort will be operational after completing the work of the 25-room building within a month.’

The price of land is also increasing as outside investors start buying up the fields and doing business. Locals say that land that was worth less than 6 years ago is now being sold for Rs 3 million per ropani.

Some young people have started raising chickens on farms. Vegetables are also in high demand in hotels. Some villagers sell them to tourists by transporting them in bags and sacks near Narpani picnic spots.

Young farmer Pritam KC says that economic activity is increasing in the village as production has increased due to the increasing demand for vegetables and goats in hotels. ‘I sold 17 quintals of cauliflower in Chait and Baisakh,’ he said. ‘It was sold at 100 rupees per kilo in all hotels in Narpani-Supa Deurali. Tourists come and buy our produce at home.’
He said that he also cultivates fruits including the indigenous peach, peach tree and kiwi, which are on the verge of extinction. ‘Earlier, there was no sale in the village,’ KC said. ‘Now, tourists are increasing, and it is impossible to deliver the produce.’ I save 5-6 lakh rupees a year by selling vegetables, ghee, milk, curd, food items, fruits, and I have no worries after earning this much while staying at home.'

Surya Bahadur Bhattarai of Narpani, who is employed abroad, has been producing cauliflower and vegetables for three years. 'Earlier, money was not visible in the village,' he said. 'Even though we produce various types of food items including vegetables, wheat, corn, and soybeans, we are encouraged when tourists come and buy them at home. Since the money earned from foreign employment is here, we do not have to go abroad.'

He said that the tourism sector of Narpani has started to uplift farmers along with the hotel/resort business. 'After all the greens and spices have started being sold, the youth have turned to agriculture,' he said. 'The economic condition of ordinary farmers is also changing. It seems that the expenses of living abroad are well managed here.'

Some tourists from various parts of India and Nepal book a car, visit Lumbini, Ranimahal in Palpa, Resunga in Gulmi, Supa Deurali in Arghakhanchi, stay in the cold place Narpani, and then head to Bardiya to see the tigers after reaching Swargadwari in Pyuthan. There are also arrangements for tourists to stay in the village. There are 40 homestays in operation in Pokhedanda near Narpani. Guests are accommodated in Gundri and Chatka and served traditional food. 'Some of the tourists who come to visit and beat the heat stay in homestays,' said Shreedhar Mahatra Chhetri, ward chairman of Sandhikharka Municipality-6. 'They get cheaper prices than hotels and resorts, and they get a village atmosphere and local food.' Tourists from the city are delighted to see the green hills and mountains as soon as they wake up in the morning, and the grass, stones, zinc sheets and concrete houses in the villages.''