Bandipur
Above 1030m from the sea level, along the Highway between Pokhara and Kathmandu, a small historic Newari town of Bandipur sits atop a hill. Newars from Bhaktapur of the Kathmandu Valley came two hundred years ago to settle in this once originally Magar village with their art and culture that are still reflected in the buildings, woodwork and brickwork.
Bandipur can be an ideal sojourn especially traveling to Pokhara or Palpa via that route from Kathmandu and elsewhere. Bandipur is all surrounded by forests where over 24 types of orchids can be seen in its peak season, which is May to June.
Short jaunts can also be arranged along the trails and to some of the caves, including the Siddha Cave, possibly the largest in the Himalayan range. The beautiful bazaar where vehicles are prohibited and many small hotels and buildings with ornate woodwork carvings alongside the stone paved streets emits a strong déjà vu of medieval town still struggling to retain its beauty and charm in this modern time.
Small pagoda style Bindhebasini Temple can be observed in the middle of the bazaar. And the trails through villages can take you to Purano Kot, some twenty minutes walk to the west from the bazaar.
Also there is a small temple of the rain god, Mahadav where people come to pray for rain during drought. Another two-hour hike takes you away to a typical Magar village, Ramkot through Muchuk village and Mukundeswari.
Siddha Cave, discovered only in 1987, is one of the largest of all the other caves found here in this area with religious significance.
Silk thread carpets and textiles are main products of Bandipur where you can also observe a small silk farm adjacent to the bazaar.
Daman
Daman, sitting at the height of 2,322 meters from the sea level offers magnificent Himalayan views from Dhaulagiri to Kanchenjunga and all five Annapurna peaks. Some seventy five kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, a rugged mountain with breathtaking spectacular views all along the way and liked by bikers, Daman also boasts of botanical gardens covering an area of 193 acres amid densely wooded area. February and March are the best months for the rhododendrons. There is also a resort hotel in the serenity of jungle for accommodation.
Gorkha
The home town of once ruling Shah Dynasty, this small hill town has its own religious and historical importance. King Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723-1775) had made his first ever move to unify all those 22/23 independent states from this very hill state of Gorkha. The king had triumphed over unification of Nepal in 1769. However, the ruling Shah dynasty came to an end when the last king Gyanendra Shah relinquished his power in 2008.
The Newar style Gorkha Durbar, an hour walk up the hill above the main bazaar has a tremendous significance as a home of Shahs and the birth place of King Prithvi Narayan Shah who united Nepal. The old palace where religious sacrifices are made on occasions offers a spectacular view of the Himalayan range and the valleys.
Gorkha is segmented in two parts: old and new. In the old part of the town there are some historic monuments and temples that are worth a visit. Ratna Temple nearby was once a home of the last king, Gehendra. And just above the temple lie the temples of Vishnu, Shiva and Ganesh. The large square leads to the Gorkha Museum.
The sacred cave temple of Gorakhnath some ten meters south below the palace is a real must-see. It’s one of the main Hindu religious sites that are carved out of a solid rock.
Lumbini (the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha)
Lumbini also understood in Sanskrit as “the lovely” is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal (some 6-7 hrs drive south-west from the Kathmandu Valley). Siddhartha Gautam who later became Gautam Buddha after enlightenment was born to Queen Mayadevi in Lumbini. Buddha was believed to live from roughly 563 and 483 BCE. Lumbini is one of the four Buddhist main sites including Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Sarnath where Buddha is believed to have lived until the age of 29.
Lumbini has a lot to offer- as a pilgrimage site, as a birthplace of the Lord Buddha or as a place of historic importance.
The Puskarini or Holy Pond where Mayadevi, Buddha’s mother took a ritual dip just before giving birth to Buddha and that Buddha too got his first ever bath is still there with lots of other remnants of their old Kapilvastu palace. In the times of Buddha, Lumbini was actually a park situated between Kapilvastu and Devadaha. A pillar there marks King Asoka’s visit to Lumbini.
Lumbini was nominated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site for the international World Heritage program in 1997. Lumbini is segmented into eastern and western monastic zones. The eastern zone has the Theravadin monasteries and the western has Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries.
The UNESCO site also has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, the Ashokan pillar and the Mayadevi temple locating the exact place of birth of Buddha.
Lumbini Development Zone has now come up with projects with purposes to develop the area as a site of many monasteries as a place of pilgrimage and symbol of world peace.
Since 1978, Buddhist nations from all over the world started building monasteries of their styles in the area as a respect and reverence to the Lord Buddha.
Lumbini Museum in the Cultural Zone depicts the life of Buddha and has a huge collection of items from around the world.
Lumbini International Research Institute opposite the Lumbini Museum provides research facilities for the study of Buddhism.
Also there is the World Peace Pagoda built by Japanese Buddhists off the premises.
Kapilvastu Museum in Tilaurakot, some 27 kms west of Lumbini has collections of jewelries, ornaments, coins, pottery and toys of the eras 7th century BC and 4th century AD.
Pokhara
Remarkably a beautiful lake city at the elevation of 827 meters from the sea level, and 200 kilometers west of the Kathmandu Valley, this serene city of Pokhara has a lot to offer. Beautiful lakes, stunning views of Himalayan Massif and magnificent sceneries are what make this town unique and worth visit.
A particular tribe, Thakalis, in this part of the country is well known for their entrepreneurship especially in the local hospitality sector with their dishes. Other tribes like Magars and Gurungs, farmers and Gurkha soldiers alike also call this town their home.
Climate wise, Pokhara may be a bit warmer than Kathmandu with 15 degrees Celsius in winter and 35 degrees in summer. June to September will be very wet because of monsoon. Other fact about Pokhara is that it has the most rainfall in the whole country. Best time to visit-October-April, although visits at other times may also be organized just as well.
Places to visit in Pokhara
Dam side and Lakeside, Pardi and Baidam, in Nepali are two such places where strips of hotels and restaurants and other places of attractions can be easily found within very short distances.
Phewa Lake
Mt. Machhapuchhre
Taal Barahi
Bindhyabasini Temple
Mahendra Cave
International Mountain Museum
Devi’s Fall
Sarangkot
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Phewa Tal or Phewa Lake is Nepal’s second largest lake stretching over almost 6 square kilometers. Boats can be hired for hours or the whole day to sail around exploring the lake partly shadowed by verdant wooded areas. Views of paragliding off the hill at Sarankot can be spectacular at a time while you take a boat across the lake. You can also make a stop and climb up to the hill just on the south of the lake beyond Barahi temple in the middle to get up to the World Peace Pagoda(1,113 m) – another ideal spot to view Annapurna Range- Annapurna I (8.091m), Annapurna III (7,555m), Annapurna IV (7,525m) and Annapurna II (7,937m)
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Machhapuchhre, Fish Tail Mountain (6,997m), Hiunchuli (6,441m) can also be observed from there.
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Barahi temple Amazingly situated almost in the middle of Phewa Lake this religiously important shrine is a two-story pagoda style temple dedicated to Ajima, the protectress deity symbolizing the female force or Shakti. Devotees offer male animals and roosters as a practice of animal sacrifice to please the deity especially on Saturdays.Bindhyabasini and Bhimsen temples in the older part of Pokhara are just other attractions.
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Bindhyabasini, dedicated to Goddess Durga was built around 17th century and the Bhimsen temple has the history of at least two hundred years of its formation. Bhimsen is god of trade and commerce decorated with some erotic carvings according to Newari culture.
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Seti Gandaki flows underground boisterously right through the city river appears in small swathes at only a few places that may be hardly two meters wide but 20 meters deep or over. Amazingly, the water is all white, so it bears the name Seti meaning white in color. A small bridge at the Mahendra Pul near the old Mission Hospital facilitates a perfect view of the furious Seti and its gorge cut in by its current.
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Mahendra Gupha or also known locally as Chamero Odaar or Cave of Bats is a huge limestone cave discovered by shepherds around 1950. It is some 20 minutes drive to the north from the city. An ideal torch is recommended while touring the cave.
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Museums like the International Mountain Museum, Gurkha Museum and Pokhara Regional Museum can also be visited if time and situation permit. The museums may provide you with information on gear from many of the first Himalayan ascents, displays on the history, culture, geology and flora and fauna of the Himalaya, and also a comprehensive history of mountaineering in Nepal.
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Devi’s Fall, also known as Patale Chhango in Nepali indicating Hell’s Fall is a must-see while you are in Pokhara. It’s a beautiful waterfall merely two kilometers south-west of Pokhara that hides away in to a cave close to the Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave.
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Sarangkot (1,600 m) some 15-minute drive from the city, the most ideal or may be the best spot to view Pokhara and all four lakes Phewa, Begnas, Khaste and Dipang and the whole Annapurna Massif.
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Tansen (Palpa)
Originally the capital of Magar Kingdom in old times, Tansen is now dominated by Newars who migrated from Kathmandu valley and reflects authentic Newari culture and lifestyles. Tansen, perched in the southern slope of the Mahabharat Range, is about 320 kilometers from the Kathmandu Valley and only 120 from Pokhara. The majority of the townscape which is also the administration headquarters of Palpa district is full of houses of Newari style and cobbled streets. Shrinagar Hill (1525 m) on the top of the town offers splendid views of the Himalayan range including Dhaulagiri and Ganesh Himal. At the eastern side of the hill lies a statue of Buddha with a monkey and an elephant depicting eight great events in the Buddha’s life.
Attractions of Palpa (Tansen)
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Amar Ganj Ganesh Temple: A beautiful three-storey pagoda style Bhairab temple in the premises of a school. It is said that the mask of Bhairab inside the temple was once snatched from Kathmandu by then King of Palpa, Mukunda Sen.
Amar Ganj Ganesh Temple
Amar Narayan Temple
Tansen
Sital Pati
Rani Durbar
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Amar Narayan Temple: One of the largest temples in Tansen and the ponds and the park were built by the first governor of Palpa Amar Singh Thapa. The prominent giant dry stone masonry wall circling the whole premises is also called “The Great Wall of Palpa”.
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Makhan Tole: It’s the principal spot for bazaar activities. Famous Dhaka apparels that Palpa is known for are sold here. Especially Dhaka Topi or Dhaka hats from this region for men as part of national attire is famous all over Nepal.
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Sital Pati (shady rest place): A very popular square in Tansen and is named after the white octagonal shaped building at the center. It was built by the governor of Palpa (1891-1902).
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Taksaar: A place for producing bronze and brass articles like Karuwa (water jug), Hukka (hubble-bubble), and Antee (a special jar to pour Nepali rakshi from).
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Ranighat Durbar: A palace built for the love of his beloved wife Tej Kumari in her memory by Khadga Shamser Rana in 1896 lies on the east bank of Kali Gandaki River, some 3 hours walk downhill from Tansen. The building is the remnant of all the belongings Khadga Shamser had after unsuccessfully tried to annex power in 1921.