Tansen

Tansen

One of the few "off-the-beaten-track" destinations in Nepal is the ancient hill town of Tansen with its old artistic Newari houses and cobbled streets. Midway between the Indian border and Pokhara, it is a picturesque hill town lying on the lap of the Srinagar Hills. Tansen is the headquarters of Palpa district and the hub of the mid-west culture of Nepal. The district varies from 250 to 2,000 m in elevation.Palpa was the seat of the Sen kingdom that ruled over this region from the 16th century for almost 300 years. The name "Tansen" has its origin in the Magar language, meaning "northern settlement." The Magars are assumed to be the first settlers in this area. However, the town’s houses are strongly influenced by traditional Newari architecture as the Newars, originally from the Kathmandu Valley, had migrated to Palpa in search of opportunities of trade and craft.People: The percentage of Magars and Newars in the district is high. Other inhabitants of Palpa are the Brahmin, Chhetri, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Tamang and Limbu.


ExperienceTANSEN BAZAAR: The main bazaar of Tansen, also known as Makhan Tole, is the focus of the town's commercial activities notably for the sale of brass utensils and Dhaka cloth used to make topis, the Nepali cap. Baggi Dhoka, the main gate to Tansen Durbar, a former palace and the district’s administration headquarters, is tall and majestic and is said to be the largest of its kind in Nepal.SRINAGAR:The hilltop of Srinagar provides the most extensive mountain views from Dhaulagiri in the west to Gauri Shanker in the northeast. There is a statue of Lord Buddha at the eastern end of Srinagar.RANIGHAT, on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River, is famous for the palace built by Khadga Shumshere Rana in memory of his wife Tej Kumari. The palace, often called the Taj Mahal of Nepal, was designed by British engineers from Calcutta. It is reached from Tansen by walking along a steady downhill slope passing through a narrow gorge.RAMDI is a half-day walk through terraced rice fields, and is famous for its cave temples where farmers from nearby villages offer milk for the protection of their cattle from leopards.PILGRIMAGE SITES: To the west of Tansen lies the oldest temple here, called Bhairavsthan, and is marked by a huge trident. The statue of Bhairav, the God of Terror, in the temple is hidden, because the sight is said to be frightening. The Amar Narayan Temple is a three-storey pagoda-style temple. Surrounding the premises is a remarkable huge dry stone masonry wall called the Great Wall of Palpa.RIDI is situated at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Ridi Khola rivers, and the Rikheswar Narayan Temple at Ridi is considered as holy as the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. During the Makar Sankranti in February, devotees throng here for a ritual dip in the water. A 50-km road leads you to Ridi from Tansen.SATYAWATI LAKE (1,400 m) is a popular pilgrimage site on the top of a mountain ridge. On the way to the lake, beautiful views of the Himalaya can be had. The nearly 2-hour uphill trek to Lake Satyawati starts from the Siddhartha Highway, about 19 km from Tansen. A fair is held each year in honor of Goddess Satyawati during the full moon night in October-November.Deule Archale, believed to be a sacred pond, has several temples. The Siddheshwar Gupha (cave) is a popular pilgrim site at Siddheshwar on the bank of the Ridi Khola (stream).


OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST: Tanhu, an attractive village with a mixed culture and beautiful scenery of the mountains, forests and terraced fields. Taksar is the neighborhood where for centuries the famous bronze and brass works of Tansen used to be produced. Arghali village, close to the Kali Gandaki and Ridi rivers, is considered the Benares of Nepal, and it is where the Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumshere spent his retired life.Butwal, a bustling city to the south of Tansen, is worth a visit, and this can be combined with a visit to Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha. The short trek, most suitable for wintertime, is to follow the old trade route from Tansen, across the Sisnu Khola to finish at Butwal. The trek will involve one night on the trail, and local teahouse accommodation can be used.

CLIMATE

Tansen can be visited at any time of the year. While the climate of Palpa varies from tropical to moderate, Tansen is moderate to warm with temperatures between 28 degree Celsius maximum in summer and 8 degrees Celsius minimum in the winter. The months of June and July have maximum rain.

ACCESS / ACCOMMODATION

Buses leave from the New Bus Park in Kathmandu for Tansen the 8-10 hour journey. You can also fly to Bhairahawa and drive to Tansen. You can also reach Tansen from Pokhara (7 hours), Chitwan (5 hours) and Butwal (2 hours). There are budget hotels and lodges in Tansen.