Ghorahi

Ghorahi Submetropolitan City
घोराही उपमहानगरपालिका
Sub-Metropolitan City

Hills view of Ghorahi, Dang
Nickname(s): हरित नगर, महको सहर
Motto: Clean Green Ghorahi
Ghorahi Submetropolitan City

Location of Ghorahi in Nepal

Coordinates: 28°2′N 82°29′E / 28.033°N 82.483°E / 28.033; 82.483Coordinates: 28°2′N 82°29′E / 28.033°N 82.483°E / 28.033; 82.483
Country Nepal
Province Province No. 5
Zone Rapti Zone
District Dang
HDI Increase 0.41 Low
HPI Decrease 20.8 Very Low
Literacy Rate Increase 73% Medium
Established 2034 BS and 2073 BS
Government
 • Mayor Naru Lal Chaudhary
 • Deputy Mayor Sita Neupane
 • Executive Officer Krishna Prasad Sapkota
Area of submetropolitan city
 • Sub-Metropolitan City 522.21 km2 (201.63 sq mi)
  Dang District:  2955sq km
Dang Valley: 1550 sq km
Elevation 701 m (2,300 ft)
Population (2011)1,55,164
 • Metro 156,164
Male: 70,000 Female: 85,000
  Dang District: 5,48,141
Dang Valley: 3,51,023
Languages
 • Local Nepali, English, Gurung, Kham Magar, Tharu
 • Official Nepali, Tharu
Time zone NST (UTC+5:45)
Postal Code 22400 (Ghorahi), 22402, 22407, 22415
Area code(s) 082
Website www.ghorahimun.gov.np
Official website of Ghorahi Submetropolitan City

Ghorahi or Ghorahi Upa-Mahanagarpalika is the largest sub-metropolitan and seventh largest city of Nepal based on population. The sub-metropolitan city (formerly Tribhuvannagar) lies in Province no 5 in Mid-Western part of Nepal .It is the largest city of Dang Deukhuri District of southwest Nepal. Located in the Inner Terai region, it lies 413 kilometres (257 mi) south-west of Nepal's capital Kathmandu and is one of the "Counter Magnets" being developed as an alternative centre of growth to help ease the migration and population explosion in the Kathmandu metropolitan area.It is the largest city of Rapti Region and is surrounded by the Sivalik in the south and Mahabharat range of Hills in the north.

Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan is in the Dang Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas nestled between the river Babai on the east , south and on the west which ends being the famous Sarayu and Ganges in India. The city is famous for its picturesque landscape and slightly milder climate and provides a gateway to the surrounding region of Rolpa, Pyuthan, Salyan and Rukum. It is well connected and in proximity to tourist destinations such as Bardiya National Park in west, Surkhet in north-west, Thawang, Kapurkot, Rara Lake and the Hindu holy lands of Swargadwari and along with the Hindu temples as Pandaveshwor and Ambikeshwori.

It hosts training institutions of national importance such as Nepal Sanskrit University, Central Ayurveda College, Rapti Engineering College, Deepjyoti Nursing College, Mahendra Multiple College. The city population has significant contribution of government servants. It is home to national foundations such as the Ghorahi Cements Ghorahi, Sonapur Cement Factory, Dang Cement Industry.

Ghorahi Submetropolitan City Office is locally known as Ghorahi Upa-Mahanagarpalika Karyalaya. Other urban entities involved in civic services and city governance and management include Tripur Nagar Bikas Samiti, Rampur Gaubikas Samiti, Lakshmipur Gaubikas Samiti, Saudiyar Gaubikas Samiti, Dharna Gaubikas Samiti and others.

Ghorahi (Dang) is best known for its high quality Honey and Hemp( अल्लो) fabric products.

Geography

Ghorahi sub-metropolitan is the main town of the Rapti region and also the headquarters of the Dang district. It is located at an elevation of 2,300 ft (701 m) in the Mahabharat-Chure hill region.

The hills of Dang Valley are part of the Mahabharat and Chure Range.

History and prehistory

Hand axes and other artifacts dated to early Paleolithic (1.8 million to 100,000 years ago) have been found in alluvial deposits along the Babai River in Dang Valley. Archeologists classify these as Acheulean, i.e. 'second-generation' toolmaking that succeeds the very oldest Olduwan. There are more numerous less ancient archeological sites dating to the Upper Paleolithic/Late Pleistocene (about 50,000 to 10,000 years ago). These are also along the Babai, as well as in Deukhuri Valley (Rapti River) adjacent and south of Dang Valley.[1][2]

Throughout historic times and probably earlier the Dang and Deukhuri valleys were home to indigenous Tharu people.

About 1760 AD all these kingdoms were annexed by the Shah Dynasty during the reunification of Nepal, except Tulsipur lands south of the Siwalik Hills were not taken. Since Dang was somewhat higher, cooler, better-drained and therefore less malarial than most Inner Terai valleys in Nepal, it was settled to some extent by Shah and Rana courtiers and other Nepalese. Deukhuri was more of a Tharu enclave until DDT was introduced to control the disease-bearing Anopheles mosquito in the 1950s.

The municipality was established January 29, 1979 with the amalgamation of Ghorahi VDC and Sewar Bangaun VDC with a combined population of 12,279. It was named Tribhuvannagar Municipality after King Tribhuvan (ruled 1911-1955). After Nepal became a republic in 2008 the name changed back to Ghorahi Municipality.

Transportation

Local transport in Ghorahi City is by bus or private vehicles. Buses ply frequently on the circular road surrounding the city centre. Heavy local transport can be seen between Ghorahi and its major suburbs which include Tulsipur, Lamahi, Dharna, Narayanpur and Saudiyar.Like any other growing city Ghorahi is also expanding with new habitats in the vicinity.Transport services in these areas are also expanding rapidly.Tourist taxis are also an option for out of town trips. Locals typically traverse the city on foot. Auto rickshaws are also common as in other cities.

Road

Ghorahi is well-connected by road network to all major cities in Nepal. East West Highway is connected via a spur road to Ghorahi from Lamahi.Rapti Sarbajanik Yatayat, Shikari Yatayat, Ambikeshwori Yatayat and other private bus agencies have a strong position in transport around the valley and rapti region.Government based transport is not available in the city. Distance between major towns and Ghorahi:


Krishna Sen Icchuk Highway connects Ghorahi to the East West Highway.

Distance between major towns and Ghorahi:

Air

Dang Airport is situated at Tarigaon, 23 kilometres (14 mi) from the city.[58] The airport has infrequent flights to Kathmandu. The nearest major airport is Nepalgunj Airport in Banke about 152 km away.A new international level airport construction was proposed by the government in 2010 but it couldnt go further due to political turbulence.

Rail

No railway service is available in the valley.

Population

Population was 55,435 in 2001 and increased to 62,928 in 2011. Migration into the city is considered to be very high.[3]

Education

The literacy rate is 73%. Ghorahi is home to Mahendra Multiple College and Nepal's only Sanskrit university Nepal Sanskrit University lies near Beljhundi. The city is being developed as an educational hub of Mid-Western Nepal.

Recently, Government of Nepal has decided to establish a government medical college.The public though are expecting to reinnovate the existing sub regional hospital to Autonomous Medical Institute i.e. Swasthya Bigyan Pratisthan.

Some of the notable institutions are

Health

A sub-regional level hospital along with child hospital, eye hospital and regional ayurveda hospital are serving the people here.Many other private and community level hospital are providing 24 hrs service to the dwellers of rapti region there.Many private hospitals and nursing homes are also under construction. It also has many clinics with highly experienced and qualified doctors.

Some of the hospitals include

Drinking Water and Sanitation

More than six different local water management committees are active for the smooth supply of water in the region.Equal number of private water suppliers are also supplying deepwater supply to selected households in different regions.Recently water industries are also supplying packaged mineral water in the city.

Ghorahi municipality has won the title of "Most clean and sanitated city" of Nepal many times. It has managed its sanitation project with landfill site in its 9th ward ; Karautee Danda with the total area of 95 hectres.A total of 10 tons of waste is produced in the city in daily basis. Waste produced in the city is collected through one compactor, one tipper, and some rickshaws. A total of thirty people are involved in sanitary field work. It is one of the five municipalities that have managed their Dumping and Sanitary site in Nepal.

Banks and Financial Institutions

Industrial Development

Ghorahi has its proposed industrial site in its 5th ward with huge possibility of industrial development. It has already hosted more than 1000 big,small,medium,and cottage industry.Many cement industry are under construction which are supposed to minimize huge quantity of import of cement from India.The cement industries like Ghorahi cement industry and Sonapur cement industry have already started their production. Ghorahi cement industry is supposed to be the largest cement industry in Nepal.Besides all these Dang district is also forward in poultry feed industries. Many small scale and medium scale industries related to poultry are running in this region.

Food and Cuisine

Dal Bhat is a popular cuisine among most of the people in the city.It is taken two times in a day: once after breakfast and other at night.

Dal Bhat served in a local restaurant in Ghorahi

Mo:Mo, Chowmein, Samosas, Chhat are famous in the city.

Media

National newspapers are also provided to the people on a daily basis. Some of the National newspapers are The Kathmandu Post, Kantipur, Annapurna Post, Himalayan Times among others. Several monthly neighborhood papers serve the town.



Place of Interest

References

  1. ↑ Corvinus, G. (1989). "A handaxe assemblage from western Nepal" (PDF). Quartär (International Yearbook for Ice Age and Stone Age Research). 39/40: 155–173. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  2. ↑ Chauthan, P. R. (2003). "An Overview of the Siwalik Acheulian & Reconsidering Its Chronological Relationship with the Soanian - A Theoretical Perspective". Assemblage (7). Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Nepal Census 2001". Nepal's Village Development Committees. Digital Himalaya. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2008.
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