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Tansen is a
picturesque hill town lying on the lap of the well-known
Shrinagar Hills, headquarters of Palpa district. Tansen is also
the hub of Midwest culture of Nepal. The Charming natural
setting combines with its rich cultural heritage to give
visitors a wholesome holiday.
Tansen offers enchanting walks leading to interesting sites,
whether it is a day of traverse around Shrinagar Hills or
few-days backpacking along River Kaligandaki. In addition Tansen
qualifies as a pilgrim's choice, given its several Hindu
temples.
Palpa was the seat of the Sen Kingdom that ruled over this
region from 16th century for almost 300 years, which gives it a
historical touch. A specialty of the region is the much popular
Palpali Dhaka, weaved here. The district varies from 250 to 2000
meters of elevation, while Tansen is situated at 1372 meters.
Palpa is also near Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, and the
popular city of Pokhara.
Access
Tansen is in Palpa district, Lumbini zone. Tansen is
approximately 296 kilometers and about 10-hour drive from
Kathmandu via Butwal. It is approximately 324 kilometers from
Kathmandu via Pokhara. Buses to Tansen ply from the Central Bus
Station, Gongabu, in Kathmandu. It is also possible to take a
flight to either Pokhara or Bhairawa from where Tansen is
approximately 3 to 4- hour drive. It can be entered from India
via Bhairahawa.
Accommodation
Good to moderate accommodation facilities are available in
Tansen. There are also modern restaurants here that serve
excellent Nepali and some even continental cuisines. Other
tourist facilities are also available in Tansen Bazaar.
When to Visit
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 and lies between 28-degree Celsius as the maximum during
summer and 8-degree Celsius minimum in the winter. The months of
June and July have maximum rain.
Predominant Culture
Palpa has diverse culture and religion. It falls in the
twelve Magar regions of West Nepal. Therefore, there are still
predominant Magar settlements in some parts of Palpa district.
Other inhabitants of Palpa and Brahmin, Chhetri, Newars,
Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Maithili, Tamang, Limbi and Abadhi.
Places to Visit
Shrinagar Hill provides excellent views of the Himalayas
Annapurna, Dhaulagiri range and the surrounding valley. Tansen
Bazaar to the summit of Shrinagar Hill is a short, pleasant hike
across forest and passing through several Hindu sites.
Ranighat is adorned by a marvelous building on the banks
of River Kaligandaki, built by the -then Rana governor of Palpa,
Khadga Shumsher, in memory of his wife Tej Kumari.
the7-kilometer trail from Tansen to Ranighat is a steady slope
passing through a narrow gorge. There are bird-watching and
fishing opportunities on the trekking trail from Tansen to
Ranighat.
River Kaligandaki, one of the main tributaries of Gandaki,
is regarded sacred by Hindus. The fountainhead of Kaligandaki is
at Muktinath in Jomsom. From Muktinath it flows southwards
creating the deepest gorge in the world between the famous
mountains Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. Tourists can boat, raft in
the river or trek along the shore enjoying beautiful landscapes.
There are several holy and historical sites on the banks of
Kaligandaki, including the well-known Ranighat. Other popular
sites to visit are: Ridi where a historical Rishikesh temple
built by the first Palpa King Mukund Sen situated; Ramdighat
where religious Hindu ceremonies are held by people in the
region; and Achammeshor where a deep gorge cut by River
Kaligandaki separates Gulmi and Syangja districts.
Madan Pokhara is a highly prosperous village near Tansen.
This beautiful valley is also culturally rich and has many
temples that pilgrims can visit. The poplar temples are Kalanki
Devi, Devisthan and Mandabya. Madan Pokhara is linked to
Siddartha Highway.
Tanhu is another attractive village with mixed culture
and beautiful natural surroundings of mountains, forests and
farmlands. One can also see beautiful views of mountains from
here. There are also temples of Rambha Devi and Jalpa Devi in
Tanhu. It is 32 kilometers from Tansen and can be entered from
Siddhartha highway.
Arghali is considered the Banares of Nepal. This is where
Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher spent the last days of his
life. The remains of he palace can still be seen in Arghali.
Other nearby places to visit are Rishikesh, Gayatri and
Devisthan, the popular temples of Arghali.
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