Ghorahi


Ghorahi is the largest sub-metropolitan city by area and population of Lumbini Province. The city lies in Lumbini Province in the 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 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 the Rapti Zone and is surrounded by the Sivalik Hills to the south and Mahabharata Range to the north.
Ghorahi is located in the Dang Valley in the foothills of the Himalayas nestled between the Babai River in the east, south, and in the west which ends being the famous Sarayu and Ganges rivers in India. The city is known for its landscape and slightly milder climate and provides a gateway to the surrounding regions of Rolpa, Pyuthan, Salyan and Rukum. It is well-connected and close to tourist destinations such as Bardiya National Park in the west, Surkhet in the north-west, Thawang, Rara Lake, and the Hindu holy lands of Swargadwari and along with the Hindu temples as Pandaveshwor and Ambikeshwori.
It is one of the excellent sub-metropolitan cities based on minimum conditions and performance measurements in the assessment by the local government and financial experts of the commission in the fiscal year 2072/73 V.S.. The city was also the first in the assessment of financial commission by the local body of the Federal Affairs and Local Development Ministry held in the financial year 2067/68 V.S..
It hosts training institutions such as Nepal Sanskrit University, Central Ayurveda College, Rapti Engineering College, Deepjyoti Nursing College, and Mahendra Multiple College. The city population makes a significant contribution to government civil servants. It is home to national factories 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, and Dharna Gaubikas Samiti. Ghorahi is best known for its high-quality honey and hemp textiles.

Geography

Ghorahi is the main town of the Rapti Zone and also the headquarters of the Dang district. It is located at an elevation of in the Mahabharat-Chure hill region.
The hills of Dang Valley are part of the Mahabharat and Chure Range.

Climate

Ghorahi has a dry-winter humid subtropical climate.

History and prehistory

s and other artifacts dated to early Paleolithic 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. These are also along the Babai, as well as in Deukhuri Valley adjacent and south of Dang Valley.
Throughout historic times, and probably earlier, the Dang and Deukhuri valleys were home to indigenous Tharu people.
The House of Tulsipur ruled one of the largest Taluqs of Oudh, India, which then included the Dang and Deukhuri Valleys. Therefore, it also counted as one of the Baise Rajya, a confederation in what became western Nepal. The town shares its name with another Tulsipur in Dang Deukhuri District, Nepal ; the two towns are linked historically by having the same ruler. About 1760 AD, these kingdoms were annexed by the Shah Dynasty during the reunification of Nepal. Tulsipur lands south of the Siwalik Hills were not taken. Since Dang was somewhat higher, cooler, better-drained and therefore had fewer instances of malaria than most of Inner Terai Valleys of 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 malaria-bearing Anopheles mosquito in the 1950s.
The municipality was established 29 January 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. 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. However, many have been significantly impacted by the rain storms and deteriorated, making travel longer than likely expected. The 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 provide extensive 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:
  • Lamahi:
  • Krishnanagar:
  • Nepalgunj:
  • Dhangadhi:
  • Mahendranagar:
  • Bhairahawa:
  • Bharatpur:
  • Kathmandu:
  • Birgunj:
  • Dharan:
  • Biratnagar:
  • Pashupatinagar:
  • Jumla:
  • Pokhara:
  • Birendranagar:
  • Janakpur:
  • Hetauda:

    Air

is situated at Tarigaon, from the city. The airport has infrequent flights to Kathmandu. The nearest major airport is Nepalgunj Airport in Banke District, about away. A new international level airport construction was proposed by the government in 2010 but it was halted due to political turbulence.

Population

The submetropolitan city was established with the amalgamation of Ghorahi municipality, Tripur Municipality and surrounding VDCs with a combined population of 156,164.
Migration into the city is considered to be very high.
Ward NoAdministrative WardPopulation
1Rampur 5,7,8, 95,083
2Rampur 1,2,3,4,67,542
3Laxmipur 1,2,3,66,769
4Laxmipur 4,5,7,8, 99,119
5Dharna 1 to 96,851
6Saudiyar 1,2,3,45,483
7Saudiyar 5,6,7,8, 96,618
8Tripur 4,116,658
9Tripur 10,12,137,434
10Tripur 1,2,310,049
11Tripur 5.87,133
12Tripur 6.7, 9999
13Ghorahi 7.87,224
14Ghorahi 1011,181
15Ghorahi 1119,757
16Ghorahi 9, 16,101
17Ghorahi 2,3,49,300
18Ghorahi 5,69,365
19Sagha 1 to 96,748
Total Population156,164

Demographics

At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Ghorahi Submetropolitan City had a population of 200,530. Of these, 72.5% spoke Nepali, 21.2% Tharu, 2.6% Kham, 1.9% Magar, 0.7% Hindi, 0.2% Awadhi, 0.3% Newar, 0.% Urdu and 0.2% Bhojpuri as their first language.
In terms of ethnicity/caste, 22.1% were Tharu, 25.5% Chhetri, 19.4% Magar, 11.4% Hill Brahmin, 7.4% Kami, 3.0% Damai/Dholi, 2.2% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 2.0% Sarki, 1.3% Newar, 1.3% Thakuri, 0.8% Musalman, 0.5% other Dalit, 0.4% Badi, 0.4% Halwai, 0.3% Gurung, 0.2% Gaine, 0.1% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 0.1% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.1% Kathabaniyan, 0.1% Kori, 0.1% Kumal 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% other Terai, 0.1% Yadav and 0.1% others.
In terms of religion, 95.9% were Hindu, 1.5% Buddhist, 1.5% Christian, 0.8% Muslim, 0.2% Prakriti and 0.1% others.
In terms of literacy, 73.6% could read and write, 1.9% could only read and 24.5% could neither read nor write.

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 for mid-western Nepal.
Recently, The government of Nepal has decided to establish Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, in line with its decision to establish a state-owned medical college in each province.
The proposed health academy in Dang will be the fifth one owned by the government after the Institute of Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Karnali Academy and BP Koirala Academy. Like in the other four academies for medical education, the prime minister will hold the chancellor's post, while the education minister will be the pro-chancellor.
There is a BBA college established by TU in the premises of Mahendra Multiple Campus. An IOE Engineering campus is under construction.
Some of the notable institutions are