Baitadi: Dasharathchand, the Mahakali Highway and Tripura Sundari

Baitadi sits at the western edge of Nepal and touches India at Jhulaghat¹. The Mahakali Highway runs from Dasharathchand south to Dhangadhi². The district is covered below; the others in the far west are in the districts hub, starting with Dadeldhura next door.

Where it is

Baitadi is part of Sudurpashchim Province and is one of Nepal’s seventy-seven districts¹. It covers 1,519 km2, with Dasharathchand as its headquarters¹. It falls into the farthest western region of Nepal and touches Jhulaghat, India¹. It is a hilly area⁴. The Kali River, also called the Sharda River, starts near Kalapani and runs through Baitadi⁴. The region includes the Himalayas, hills and the inner Terai⁴.

Patan Municipality lies in the middle of the district⁴. Dasharathchand is a municipality and the district headquarters².

Local units

The District Coordination Committee lists four municipalities: Dasharathchand, Patan, Purchaudi and Melauli⁷. The six rural municipalities are Dilasaini, Dogadakedar, Panchheshwar, Shivanath, Sigas and Surnaya⁷. That makes 10 local units¹. Before the federal restructuring, Baitadi had 56 village development councils and two municipalities¹.

Getting there

The Mahakali Highway links Dasharathchand to Dhangadhi in the south and Api Municipality in the north². Dhangadhi’s airport is a public airport owned by the Government of Nepal and operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal⁸. Flight detail is on the Dhangadhi flights page, and the long road from the capital is in Kathmandu to the far west by road.

Ishori Gangadham has no road access, so you hike to it⁴. A cave excursion gives views of the Saipal and Api peaks⁴.

When to go

Festivals set the busiest dates. Tens of thousands of worshippers go to Tripura Sundari on Sankranti, Dashain, Gaura and Jaat⁴. The Niglasaini temple marks two occasions each year⁴. The bazaar in Baitadi is usually packed on Sundays⁴.

What to see

Tripura Sundari is a pagoda-style temple⁴. Many worshippers travel from around the world to visit the temple at Ishori Gangadham⁴. The archaeological site there has stone inscriptions and utensils⁴.

Bhatana Mahadev Temple is an ancient Hindu temple⁴. At the Niglasaini temple, one of Bhagwati’s seven sister temples, hundreds of bulls and goats are sacrificed to the goddess during the festival⁴.

The Gwallek Kedar sacred forest lies wholly within Baitadi and is considered the most important of the four Kedars along the Indo-Nepal border¹.

Fruits such as mandarins and oranges are grown in Baitadi and exported to Bhimdatta and Dhangadhi¹. Volleyball and cricket are very popular, and Baitadi has produced eminent national cricket players¹.

Population

The 2021 census report counted 242,157 people in Baitadi³. It gives 113,864 male and 128,293 female³. Baitadi is the third most populous district of Sudurpashchim Province, behind Kailali, the largest at 904,666, and Kanchanpur³. See Kailali and Kanchanpur.

The 2011 national report recorded 250,898 people at a density of 165 per km2⁶. Wikipedia gives the same 2011 and 2021 totals^1,3,6. Chhetris make up 53% of the population and Khas Dalits 22%¹. Khas people make up nearly the entire population¹.

History

Baitadi was initially part of the Great Katyuri Kingdom⁴. During the Khas kingdom it was one of three major centres¹. It was part of the Kumaon Kingdom until the Gorkha invasion of Kumaon in 1791¹. The district was then merged into Doti District until 1885¹. Darchula separated from Baitadi in 1962¹. See Doti and Darchula.

Permits and park fees

Khaptad National Park stretches over Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti, not over Baitadi⁵. It was established in 1984 on the advice of Khaptad Baba⁵. The Nepal Tourism Board’s park entry-fee page lists the entry fee per person per entry⁹:

A park entry permit must be obtained to enter protected areas, and entrance fees must be paid⁹.

The park itself has moorland, steep slopes and streams, with 567 floral species⁵. More is on Khaptad National Park.