Tanahun is one of the mid-hill districts of Nepal. Tanahun, full of diverse dimensions such as religious, natural, cultural, historical, and literary, is in a state of darkness under the lights.

The headquarters of Tanahun is Damauli, which is the main center of the district in terms of administration, education and trade. There are various legends regarding the naming of this district, which has a historical saga and a glorious history.

It is said that three similar peaks around Tanahunsur, the capital of the then Tanahun state, were named Tritunga (in Sanskrit: Tri means three, Tung means peak) and gradually became Tanung and the same word is corrupted to the name 'Tanahun'. Some village names in this region, such as Manahun, Kihun, Kahun, etc., also end with 'hu'.

Since Damauli in Tanahun is also the birthplace of Ved Vyas, the author of the Hindu scriptures Vedas and Puranas, this area is considered a place of penance for Hindus. The Vyas Parasar area, which is important from the point of view of religious tourism, is now in a state of darkness like a lamp. The Byas Parasar area, located at the confluence of the Madi and Seti rivers, is waiting to be developed as a religious tourist destination.

Although the construction process of a 108-foot-tall statue of Byas Rishi has been taken forward with the aim of making the birthplace of Byas Rishi known to the world, it has not been completed due to lack of budget. Byas Municipality has been established after Veda Vyas. Byas Municipality is the oldest municipality in the district.

Spread over an area of ​​1,546 square kilometers, there are 4 municipalities and 6 rural municipalities in this district. Byas Municipality, Shuklagandaki Municipality, Bhimad Municipality, Bhanu Municipality, Devghat Rural Municipality, Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality, Bandipur Rural Municipality, Myagde Rural Municipality, Ghiring Rural Municipality and Rising Rural Municipality.

According to the National Census 2078, the population of Tanahun is about 321,153. Of which 146,889 are males and 174,264 are females. The major castes of this district are Magar, Kshetri, Brahmin, Gurung, Bishwakarma, Newar, Mijar, Pariyar, Darai, Tamang, Bhujel Kumal, Thakuri, etc.

The main religious, historical and tourist places of this district are Devghatdham, Chhabdibarahi, Dhor Barahi, Thanimai Temple, Akla Temple, Tanahun Bhagwati Temple, Parashar Ashram, Tanahunsur Durbar, Bhanu Janmashtal, Ghansikuwa, Kotdarwar, Rishing Rani Pond, Vyas and Parashar Rishi's Tapobhumi, Andhimul, Chimkeshwari Lake, Mirlangkot, Manungkot, Siddha Cave, Dhundur Siddha Cave, Millennium Cave, Vyas Cave, etc.

Tanahun is a district rich in natural beauty. Bandipur is the main tourist destination of this district. Known as the Queen of the Mountains, Bandipur offers a view of the Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri and other mountain ranges. Bandipur is known as a great destination for tourists who want to enjoy a quiet environment free from noise. The houses built in the traditional style of Bandipur, its historical, religious, cultural, and natural aspects attract domestic and foreign tourists.

The main attractions of Bandipur market area include beautiful stone-paved roads, houses built in the Bhaktapur style, Thanimai Temple, Selfie Garden, Paragliding area, Horse riding, Three Streams, Pushpalal Memorial Garden, Mukundeshwari Garden, Mini Great Wall, Cable Car and other structures. Bandipur is reached after a journey of about 8 kilometers uphill from Dumre on the Prithvi Highway.

Similarly, Vyas Cave, Devghatdham, Thanimai Temple, Rishi Parashar's Ashram, Devi Matsyakanya's Temple, Chhabdi Barahi Temple, Akaladevi Temple, Dhorbarahi, Chimkeshwari Temple, Adimul etc. are important religious tourist areas of the district. Local municipalities have taken forward promotion programs by building the necessary infrastructure to develop these religious areas as religious tourist destinations.

Tanahun is not only known for its natural beauty and religious importance but also for its birth place of Adikavi Bhanubhakta Acharya, who is known for his contribution to Nepali literature and linguistic unification. Adikavi Bhanubhakta Acharya, a pioneer of Nepali literature, was born on Asad 29, 1871 BS, in Chundi Ramgha, Bhanu Municipality-4. Bhanubhakta is the first great poet of Nepali literature, i.e. Adikavi. He translated the Sanskrit Ramayana into Nepali and gave Nepali language a literary form.

Tanahun district is deeply intertwined with the history of Nepali literature. The birthplace of the ancient poet Bhanubhakta Acharya and his association with Vyas Rishi have made this district known as a literary and religious pilgrimage site. Therefore, Tanahun can be considered not only a geographical area but also a proud heritage of Nepali language and literature.

Devghatdham is located in the lower reaches of Tanahun, which is between 184 meters and 2,134 meters above sea level, and Chimkeshwari Hill is located in the higher reaches. Located in Chimkeshwari, Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality-5, with the financial support of the rural municipality and the Gandaki Province government, the Chimkeshwari Temple has been developed as an attractive destination for tourists who enjoy religious and natural scenery by reconstructing the temple in the pagoda style and constructing a trekking path. The Chimkeshwari Temple, which is the elder sister of Gorkha Manakamana Mata, is being developed as a tourist attraction.

The main occupation of the district is agriculture. Due to fertile land, abundant rainfall and the availability of rivers, crops such as rice, corn, wheat, millet, meat, pea, orange, ginger are produced here. Vegetable farming, fruit production and animal husbandry are also the main sources of income here. Especially orange, lemon, ginger and vegetable farming have been providing cash income to the farmers.

Rice is cultivated in large fields in the district such as Satrasaya, Sepabagaincha, Kalesti, Purkot, Myagde, Tanahunsur, Atrauli in Gajarkot, Puttar, Aanbukhaireni, Sangephant and other places. Although about 51,550 hectares of land is cultivated in the district, irrigation facilities are available in 6,347 hectares of land all year round. Farmers cultivate rice even with rainwater, as there are 13,583 hectares of irrigated land and 7,236 hectares of unseasonal irrigation facilities.

Recently, there has been an increase in commercial agriculture, goat farming, poultry farming and dairy production. Market access is expanding in the rural areas due to the activities of cooperatives and farmer groups. Agricultural modernization, expansion of irrigation facilities and use of technology have seen positive changes in the agricultural sector of Tanahun. However, there are increasing complaints that farmers who have adopted commercial agriculture profession cannot easily access the subsidy programs provided by the government.

Tanahun also seems to be excellent in the educational sector. The number of schools and campuses in the district is increasing. Private schools and higher education institutions are operating in the district headquarters, Damauli, and the market areas of the district. According to the latest statistics, there are 445 community and 117 private schools in the district. Campuses and technical schools are also operating in various places including Damauli. Although the education sector has improved, female literacy is still lower than that of men. The quality of education is still challenging. The shortage of subject-specific teachers, declining student numbers, and youth emigration have become major problems in rural schools. Technical and vocational education has not yet been expanded sufficiently. Long-term planning, investment in technical and vocational education, and a student-friendly environment are needed to further strengthen the education sector. Similarly, access to health services is expanding in the district. Health posts, basic hospitals, and private health institutions are operating at the local levels of the district. The practice of operating mobile health camps in rural areas by the concerned local governments and organizations has provided some relief to the local residents. However, the lack of specialist doctors, lack of equipment, and lack of quality services in rural areas still remain a challenge.

Although residents of the district headquarters and market areas have easy access to health services, they are forced to travel to places such as Pokhara, Chitwan, Kathmandu, and others for specialist services. Even though the GP Koirala National Respiratory Treatment Center, Belchautara, has been operational, it has not been able to expand its services. It has had to face challenges such as lack of physical infrastructure, specialist doctors, and skilled manpower.

Development and road network

The Prithvi Highway is about 72 kilometers away in Tanahun district. Although transportation access is relatively good, residents of rural areas have not yet been able to easily use road transport. With the upgrading of the Prithvi Highway since 2079 BS, transportation has become easier. Currently, the work of expanding the four-lane road from Aanbukhaireni to Pokhara has been completed in the final stage.

With the upgrade of the Prithvi Highway connecting the tourist city of Pokhara, it is expected that the number of natural and religious tourists in Tanahun will increase. This highway is expected to play an important role in highlighting the art, culture, natural and religious tourist areas of Tanahun.
Similarly, the expansion of rural roads has connected the villages to the market. But many rural roads are still in a poor condition. Due to delays in construction and the use of substandard materials, the roads become muddy during the rainy season and dusty during the winter.

If the rural road network of the district could be improved, the marketing of agricultural products would increase and the number of tourists in rural areas would also increase. However, due to the inability to easily consume basic necessities, most of the rural areas of Tanahun are becoming desolate due to migration, and cultivable land is becoming barren.

The 140-megawatt Tanahun Hydropower Project is under construction in the district. The hydropower project, which is under construction with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank, is expected to provide employment to most of the youth of the district and play an important role in increasing tourism.

Abundant water resources, poor management

Tanahun is also a district rich in water resources. The rivers, streams and springs here have shown sufficient potential for drinking water and irrigation. The Kaligandaki River, Madi River, Seti River, Marsyangdi River, Trishuli River and other small and large streams and rivers flow through this district.

Although it is rich in water resources, due to its lack of proper management, there is a shortage of drinking water in the highlands. Even though drinking water schemes are being implemented in many places, problems such as silting of springs during the rainy season and water shortage during the dry season are also seen. Although many projects have been started, they are in a state of disarray due to lack of budget and non-completion of work by contractors.
Like other districts, the number of young people going abroad for employment is significant in this district. But recently, young people have started to be attracted towards entrepreneurship and business in the country. Young people have started to be attracted to small industries, trade, and agriculture. In addition, women have also started becoming self-employed. They have been increasing their economic self-reliance by taking various trainings and operating small industries and businesses.

Similarly, the municipalities in the market areas of the district have not been able to properly manage the waste generated from the market areas due to the inability to manage a well-organized landfill site. After efforts were made to construct a landfill site, this work has not been completed due to the inability to obtain suitable land. The district's Byas Municipality has recently started to classify the collected waste and sell and distribute it to earn income.

Natural beauty, religious significance, agricultural production, tourist attractions and strategic road network have made Tanahun an important district of Gandaki Province. The diversity of the population, cultural richness and development potential have prepared the basis for making this district more prosperous in the future. With proper planning, infrastructure expansion and proper utilization of local resources, Tanahun seems to be able to become one of the leading districts of Nepal.

Other related news

सडक, बिजुली र स्वास्थ्य सुविधाको पर्खाइमा हुम्ली

पूर्वाधार अभावले ओझेल परेको पाल्पाको कृषि र पर्यटन क्षेत्र

अछामको विकासका बाधक : अधुरा पूर्वाधार, बेरोजगारी र बसाइँसराइ

राजधानीसँगै जोडिएको काभ्रेमा विकास भने सहरमै सीमित

अरुणदेखि मकालुसम्म फैलिएको संखुवासभामा अपेक्षित विकास भएन

पूर्वाधारकै अभाव झेलिरहेको कालीकोट

सुनसरीका दुई मुहार: विकसित सहर, पछाडि परेका गाउँ

रामेछापमा जनसंख्या घट्दै, विकासका पूर्वाधार अधुरै

बझाङ: सम्भावनाको खानीभित्र समस्याले जेलिएको जिल्ला

रोजगारी र पूर्वाधार अभावले रित्तिँदै गोरखाका गाउँ

मधेश र हिमाल जोड्ने सेतु बन्दै धनकुटा

मधेशको महोत्तरीमा सधैंको एउटै मार- डुवान र खडेरी

सुक्खा बन्दरगाह र महाकाली करिडोरले आस देखिरहेको कञ्चनपुर

खेतीमा बाँदरको अवरोध खेपिरहेको बागलुङ मासु चीन निर्यात गर्ने तयारीमा

पूर्वाधारकै अभावमा प्रदेश राजधानी सुर्खेत

बाँदर आतंक र पूर्वाधार अभावले रित्तिँदै स्याङ्जाका गाउँ

विकासका पूर्वाधार बढिरहेको मकवानपुरमा युवा टिकाउन सकस

लुम्बिनीको राजधानी दाङमा विकास अपुग

जाजरकोटमा सडक, रोजगारी, खानेपानी र विद्युतको समस्या उही, भूकम्पपछि थपियो पुनर्निर्माणको एजेण्डा