Taplejung District
Encyclopedia
Taplejung District
Taplejung District' onMouseout='HidePop("36165")' href="/topics/Mechi_Zone">Mechi Zone
, is one of seventy-five districts
of Nepal
, a landlocked
country of South Asia
. The district, with Taplejung
as its district headquarters, covers an area of 3,646 km² and has a population (2001) of 134,698.
The name Taplejung is derived from the words "Taple" and "Jung". Taple was the medieval Limbu
King who used to rule the area and "Jung" in Limbu language means Fort. Literally, Taplejung means Fort of King Taple.
; the Tamur River
flows through the district. The area is famous for its proximity to Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Taplejung has an airstrip with commercial flights to Biratnagar and Kathmandu. A road connects the district headquarters with the Tarai plains. Most of the population are involved in agriculture, and the vegetation zones range from sub-tropical to temperate
forests, alpine meadows, and snow, and ice.
Taplejung is one of the most beautiful areas in eastern Nepal, with a spectacular landscape, Himalayan peaks of heights above 7000 meters and a wide range of flora and fauna. Mt. Kanchanjunga (8586 m), the world's third largest peak, lies in this region. Alpine grassland, rocky out crops, dense temperate and subtropical forests, and no river valleys make up the region. Taplejung occupies an area ranging from 670 meters to 8586 meters (Mt. Kanchanjunga) above sea level.
Temple. This little known region attracts tourists seeking spiritual fulfilment and blessings from the powerful Pathibhara Devi
. Hindus as well as Buddhists reach the temple for celebrations during special occasions. The trek to Pathibhara Devi
(3794 m) combined with the natural and cultural experiences of the region make the visit a unique exhilarating experience. It takes a day to reach the temple on foot from Taplejung Bazaar. On the way to the temple one can find many species of rhododendron
.
The shrine of the Pathibhara Devi temple is located on a mountain at 3794 meters in the far east of Nepal. The temple is holy for Hindu's as well as Buddhists.
The goddesses Pathibhara is said to make dreams come true. The myth is that sheppards suddenly lost a lot of sheep in this area and that Pathibara appeared in their dreams. She promised that the sheep would return if they would offer a few sheep to her. And so they did.
How to get therePathibhara lies in the junction of three VDCs: Tapethok, Limkhim and PhawaKhola VDCs at a 19 kilometeres distance from Taplejung Bazaar (Phungling). The journey to Pathibhara starts from Suketar Airport (2840 m) which is about 1.5 hours walk from phungling Bazaar. Pathibhara Devi is about 5–6 hours walk from Suketar.
Suketar is only STOL airstrip in Taplejung district and is connected to Kathmandu and Biratnagar by scheduled flights. From Suketar the Pathivara trial passes through Deurali, Ramitedanda, Chhatedhunga, Bhalugaunda, Phedi and finally reaches Pathibhara Devi temple. The trial offers food and lodging facilities. Basic accommodation facilities are also available for pilgrims near the shrine.
The best time to visit is from March to June and September to November.
How to go to Pathibara Devi Temple
To reach the Pathibara temple you have to walk for around 10 hours from Suketar. In Suketar is a small airport that can be reached from Kathmandu or Biratnagar.
A good idea is to visit Pathibara Devi temple in combination with the Limbu cultural heritage trekking or on your way to Kanchanjunga base camp.
(about 500 km, which takes approximately 14 hours), and then from Birtamod to Taplejung Bajar (about 300 km, the road from Birtamod to Phidim, the district headquarters of Panchthar
district is a metallic one and from there on, some sections are metallic while others are being black-topped). The second option is to travel from Kathmandu to Dharan
(about 450 km) and from Dhran to Dhankuta, Hiley, Sindha, and Basantapur. After Basantapur travelers have to walk on foot. It might not be a good option but walking through the jungle of Gufaa is exciting.
The airport in Suketar (currently under renovation) can only accommodate aircraft Short Take-off and Landing (STOL
).
Taplejung District' onMouseout='HidePop("36165")' href="/topics/Mechi_Zone">Mechi Zone
Mechi Zone
Mechi and other ethnic groups like Koche and Meche, and hill castes like Bahun and Chhetris.Mechi is divided into four districts:*Ilam District*Jhapa District*Panchthar District*Taplejung District...
, is one of seventy-five districts
Districts of Nepal
Nepal's 14 administrative zones are subdivided into 75 districts . These districts are listed below, by zone...
of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, a landlocked
Landlocked
A landlocked country is a country entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. There are 48 landlocked countries in the world, including partially recognized states...
country of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. The district, with Taplejung
Taplejung
Taplejung is the headquarters of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of Nepal. It is located at 27°21'0N 87°40'0E with an altitude of 1441 metres ....
as its district headquarters, covers an area of 3,646 km² and has a population (2001) of 134,698.
The name Taplejung is derived from the words "Taple" and "Jung". Taple was the medieval Limbu
Limbu people
The Yakthung or Limbu tribes and clans belong to the Kirati nation or to the Kirat confederation.They are indigenous to the hill and mountainous regions of east Nepal between the Arun and Mechi rivers to as far as Southern Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim....
King who used to rule the area and "Jung" in Limbu language means Fort. Literally, Taplejung means Fort of King Taple.
Geography
Taplejung is located in North Eastern NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
; the Tamur River
Tamur River
The Tamur River is a major river in eastern Nepal, which begins around Kanchenjunga. The Tamur and the Arun join the Sun Kosi at Tribenighat to form the giant Saptakoshi which flows through Mahabharat Range on to the Gangetic plain-Kosi river system:...
flows through the district. The area is famous for its proximity to Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Taplejung has an airstrip with commercial flights to Biratnagar and Kathmandu. A road connects the district headquarters with the Tarai plains. Most of the population are involved in agriculture, and the vegetation zones range from sub-tropical to temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
forests, alpine meadows, and snow, and ice.
Taplejung is one of the most beautiful areas in eastern Nepal, with a spectacular landscape, Himalayan peaks of heights above 7000 meters and a wide range of flora and fauna. Mt. Kanchanjunga (8586 m), the world's third largest peak, lies in this region. Alpine grassland, rocky out crops, dense temperate and subtropical forests, and no river valleys make up the region. Taplejung occupies an area ranging from 670 meters to 8586 meters (Mt. Kanchanjunga) above sea level.
Pathibhara Devi Temple
One of the major attractions is the Pathibhara DeviPathibhara
Pathibhara is a village development committee in Sankhuwasabha District in the Kosi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2905 people living in 607 individual households. The population are predominantly of Limbu descent.-Geography:Pathibhara is...
Temple. This little known region attracts tourists seeking spiritual fulfilment and blessings from the powerful Pathibhara Devi
Pathibhara
Pathibhara is a village development committee in Sankhuwasabha District in the Kosi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2905 people living in 607 individual households. The population are predominantly of Limbu descent.-Geography:Pathibhara is...
. Hindus as well as Buddhists reach the temple for celebrations during special occasions. The trek to Pathibhara Devi
Pathibhara
Pathibhara is a village development committee in Sankhuwasabha District in the Kosi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2905 people living in 607 individual households. The population are predominantly of Limbu descent.-Geography:Pathibhara is...
(3794 m) combined with the natural and cultural experiences of the region make the visit a unique exhilarating experience. It takes a day to reach the temple on foot from Taplejung Bazaar. On the way to the temple one can find many species of rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
.
The shrine of the Pathibhara Devi temple is located on a mountain at 3794 meters in the far east of Nepal. The temple is holy for Hindu's as well as Buddhists.
The goddesses Pathibhara is said to make dreams come true. The myth is that sheppards suddenly lost a lot of sheep in this area and that Pathibara appeared in their dreams. She promised that the sheep would return if they would offer a few sheep to her. And so they did.
How to get therePathibhara lies in the junction of three VDCs: Tapethok, Limkhim and PhawaKhola VDCs at a 19 kilometeres distance from Taplejung Bazaar (Phungling). The journey to Pathibhara starts from Suketar Airport (2840 m) which is about 1.5 hours walk from phungling Bazaar. Pathibhara Devi is about 5–6 hours walk from Suketar.
Suketar is only STOL airstrip in Taplejung district and is connected to Kathmandu and Biratnagar by scheduled flights. From Suketar the Pathivara trial passes through Deurali, Ramitedanda, Chhatedhunga, Bhalugaunda, Phedi and finally reaches Pathibhara Devi temple. The trial offers food and lodging facilities. Basic accommodation facilities are also available for pilgrims near the shrine.
The best time to visit is from March to June and September to November.
How to go to Pathibara Devi Temple
To reach the Pathibara temple you have to walk for around 10 hours from Suketar. In Suketar is a small airport that can be reached from Kathmandu or Biratnagar.
A good idea is to visit Pathibara Devi temple in combination with the Limbu cultural heritage trekking or on your way to Kanchanjunga base camp.
Village Development Committees (VDCs)
- AmbegudinAmbegudinAmbegudin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2601 people living in 451 individual households.-External links:*...
- AnkhopAnkhopAnkhop is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2291 people living in 373 individual households.-External links:*...
- ChaksiboteChaksiboteChaksibote is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1086 people living in 193 individual households.-External links:*...
- ChangeChange, NepalChange is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4487 people living in 807 individual households.-References:...
- DhungesaghuDhungesaghuDhungesaghu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4203 people living in 750 individual households.-External links:*...
- DokhuDokhuDokhu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3142 people living in 581 individual households....
- DummriseDummriseDummrise is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1671 people living in 285 individual households.-External links:*...
- EkhabuEkhabuEkhabu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2640 people living in 418 individual households.-External links:*...
- HangdevaHangdevaHangdeva is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3281 people living in 592 individual households.-External links:*...
- HangpangHangpangHangpang is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4109 people living in 733 individual households.-External links:*...
- KalikholaKalikholaKalikhola is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 730.-External links:*...
- KhamlungKhamlungKhamlung is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1109 people living in 210 individual households....
- KhejenimKhejenimKhejenim is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2208 people living in 405 individual households.-External links:*...
- KhewangKhewangKhewang is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2632 people living in 443 individual households.-External links:*...
- KhoklingKhoklingKhokling is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3132 people living in 529 individual households.-External links:*...
- LelepLelepLelep is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2094 people living in 395 individual households.-External links:*...
- LimbudinLimbudinLimbudin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2022 people living in 342 individual households.The limbu clan Edhingo is mailny residing here and they and...
- LingtepLingtepLingtep is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1668 people living in 323 individual households.-External links:*...
- LinkhimLinkhimLinkhim is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1852 people living in 326 individual households.-External links:*...
- LiwangLiwang, MechiLiwang, Mechi is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1545 people living in 307 individual households.-External links:*...
- MamangkheMamangkheMamangkhe is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1206 people living in 198 individual households.-External links:*...
- NalbuNalbuNalbu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1567 people living in 289 individual households.-External links:*...
- NankholyangNankholyangNankholyang is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3408 people living in 603 individual households.-External links:*...
- NidhuradinNidhuradinNidhuradin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2366 people living in 443 individual households.-External links:*...
- Olangchung GolaOlangchung GolaOlangchung Gola is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 422 people living in 82 individual households....
- PaidangPaidangPaidang is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1542 people living in 260 individual households.-External links:*...
- PapungPapungPapung is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1529 people living in 284 individual households.-External links:*...
- PedangPedangPedang is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1843.-External links:*...
- PhakumbaPhakumbaPhakumba is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3901 people living in 695 individual households.-External links:*...
- PhawakholaPhawakholaPhawakhola is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1457.-External links:*...
- PhulbariPhulbari, MechiPhulbari is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3885 people living in 667 individual households.-External links:*...
- PhunglingPhunglingPhungling is a Municipality in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 9050 people living in 1695 individual households.-External links:*...
- PhurumbuPhurumbuPhurumbu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2165 people living in 375 individual households.-External links:*...
- SadewaSadewaSadewa is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1730 people living in 264 individual households.-External links:*...
- SanguSangu, NepalSangu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4012 people living in 696 individual households.-External links:*...
- SanthakraSanthakraSanthakra is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2497 people living in 462 individual households.-External links:*...
- SawaSawa, NepalSawa is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2295 people living in 430 individual households.-External links:*...
- SawadinSawadinSawadin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1259 people living in 246 individual households.-External links:*...
- SawalakhuSawalakhuSawalakhu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2216 people living in 404 individual households.-External links:*...
- SikaichaSikaichaSikaicha is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2472 people living in 426 individual households....
- SinamSinamSinam is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2205 people living in 397 individual households.-External links:*...
- SurumakhimSurumakhimSurumakhim is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1737 people living in 265 individual households.-External links:*...
- TapethokTapethokTapethok is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1292 people living in 253 individual households.-External links:*...
- TellokTellokTellok is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2296 people living in 387 individual households.-External links:*...
- ThechambuThechambuThechambu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3428 people living in 606 individual households.-External links:*...
- ThinglabuThinglabuThinglabu is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2744 people living in 526 individual households.-External links:*...
- ThukimaThukimaThukima is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2535 people living in 486 individual households.-References:...
- ThumbedinThumbedinThumbedin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2583 people living in 439 individual households.-External links:*...
- TiringeTiringeTiringe is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3061 people living in 543 individual households.-External links:*...
- YamfudinYamfudinYamfudin is a village development committee in the Himalayas of Taplejung District in the Mechi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 764 people living in 130 individual households.-External links:*...
Travel
For those wanting to travel Taplejung by road there are two available options. The first one is from Kathmandu to BirtamodBirtamod
Birtamod is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Ssrnamati Bazar, Kamatoli Bazar, Chakchaki Bazar and Surunga Bazar are some of the nearest local towns /settlements connected to Birtamod...
(about 500 km, which takes approximately 14 hours), and then from Birtamod to Taplejung Bajar (about 300 km, the road from Birtamod to Phidim, the district headquarters of Panchthar
Panchthar
Panchthar is the headquarters of Panchthar District in the Mechi Zone of northern Nepal....
district is a metallic one and from there on, some sections are metallic while others are being black-topped). The second option is to travel from Kathmandu to Dharan
Dharan, Nepal
Dharan is a major city in eastern Nepal, in the Sunsari District, situated on foothills of Mahabharat Range with southern tip touching the edge of the Terai at an altitude of 1148 ft . It serves as a trading post between the hilly region and the plains of Terai region. It was once the...
(about 450 km) and from Dhran to Dhankuta, Hiley, Sindha, and Basantapur. After Basantapur travelers have to walk on foot. It might not be a good option but walking through the jungle of Gufaa is exciting.
The airport in Suketar (currently under renovation) can only accommodate aircraft Short Take-off and Landing (STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
).