Bajura: Martadi, Badimalika and the Saipal range

Bajura is a district of the far west that climbs from 300 m to 6,400 m¹. Martadi, the district seat, is part of Badimalika Municipality^1,2, and the Safebagar-Martadi road serves it³. This page covers the whole district; its neighbours are in the districts hub, including Achham and Bajhang.

Where it is

Bajura is a part of Sudurpashchim Province and one of Nepal’s 77 districts¹. It covers 2,188 km2, with Martadi (today part of Badimalika municipality) as its district headquarters¹. The district runs from 300 m to 6,400 m in height¹. Its Higher Himalayan region comprises the Saipal Himalayan range¹.

The 2021 census recorded 138,523 people¹, and 55.20% of them lived in municipalities¹. The average population density is around 62 people per km2¹. The district has a literacy rate of 71.24% and a sex ratio of 1065 females per 1000 males¹.

Terrain and climate

The district splits into three regions from north to south: a Higher Himalayan region, a high mountain region and the mid-mountains¹. The high mountain region comprises Doha Lekh and Ghori Lekh, and the Badimalika Temple sits among the mid-mountain ranges¹.

Climate zones by share of the district’s area:

Temperatures vary from 0 °C to 40 °C¹.

Martadi

Martadi is a town and the seat of the Bajura District Coordination Committee, and the headquarters of Badimalika Municipality². It stands at 2,030 m and had 8,807 people at the 2011 census². Bajura Multiple Campus, which offers bachelor-level programmes of Tribhuwan University, is in the town². The town and the area around it fall under the Martadi District Police².

Badimalika Temple

Badimalika Temple is a Hindu temple in Bajura district, dedicated to Bhagwati, and one of the major temples in Nepal⁴. It is listed in Triveni Municipality⁴. Malika Chaturdashi is its major festival⁴. Two priests serve it, one representing Kalikot district and the other Bajura district⁴.

The temple’s story ties it to the mountain: the goddess’s left shoulder fell on the Mallagiri mountain, which was then referred to as Malika⁴. King Dipraj Chhatyal of the Chhatyal dynasty ruled over this sacred land⁴.

The Nepali Army has completed a new temple at the site, replacing the old dilapidated structure⁵. The site lies at an altitude of 4,220 metres, and the temple was completed in just over two months despite extreme weather and difficult terrain⁵. Construction began on 10 April (Chaitra 28, 2081) and concluded on 7 July (Asar 23, 2082)⁵. The project cost around Rs 20 million (seen October 2026), funded from the Army’s internal resources⁵.

It was built in accordance with the Ancient Monument Preservation Act, 2013 B.S., from traditional materials including sal wood, stone and mud⁵. Materials were airlifted from Martadi, the district headquarters, while some were carried on foot from Mana in Badimalika Municipality-5⁵. A homa kunda (ritual fire pit) and a helipad were also built⁵.

Getting there

The Safebagar-Martadi road serves the district headquarters³. A 33-kV national transmission line from Achham to Martadi supplies electricity to the district³.

By 8 September 2026 rain had triggered landslides at several locations, blocking the road³. Landslides had blocked the road at Karagar Mod, Binod Smriti Pratikshalaya, Selagad and Subakandha in Badimalika Municipality-9 and other locations, and it had been impassable since Saturday night³. Martadi was left cut off from the road network and without electricity for three days³. Patients referred outside Bajura had to be carried on stretchers³.

The wider picture for the rainy months is in monsoon road closures.

Farming and living conditions

The livelihood of more than 80% of the district population depends on agriculture, mainly small-scale livestock¹. Because of low agricultural output, the majority of households face acute food shortages for a large part of the year¹.