Beauty of Bandipur Bazar [Photos]

BANDIPUR: MARCH. 13 – Bandipur, the old headquarters of Tanahun, known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’, rich in Newar Gurung and Magar culture, is located at an altitude of 1030 meters above sea level.

Bandipur is a famous destination for both internal and external tourists. There are well-equipped hotels for tourists as well as 15 community homestays.

Bandipur is located 9 km south of Dumre Bazar.

HISTORY

After being conquered by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768, Bandipur was established as a trade hub by Newar traders from Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu valley.

They used its malaria-free location to turn it into an important stop on the India-Tibet trade route. They brought their cultural heritage and architecture with them, which has largely remained unchanged to this day.

In the early nineteenth century, it was a simple Magar village. Century Bandipur grew into a prosperous trading center and community with town-like characteristics: substantial buildings with neoclassical façades and shuttered windows, and streets paved with silverish slate slabs.

Bandipur was at its peak during the Rana era (1846-1951), when, as a measure of its power and prestige, it was granted special permission to have its own library (still existing).

With the construction of the Prithvi Highway in the 1970s, trading fell precipitously. It was logically built in the Marsyangdi valley for technical reasons, leaving Bandipur isolated on the mountain. Furthermore, Bandipur lost importance as a result of its poor accessibility, as the district headquarters of Tanahun were relocated to Damauli.

Bandipur’s tradesmen were forced to relocate to Dumre, and many even fled to the Terai; Bandipur became a semi-ghost town. The population declined considerably.

When the first democratic demonstrations in Nepal took place in the 1970s, the people of Bandipur stormed the small garrison. Several people were killed, and the soldiers were forced to flee. When the district headquarters were to be relocated, people protested and occupied the administration. During the night, the civil servants fled. The king was even flown in by helicopter to help calm the situation. Even the king was flown in by helicopter to calm the situation.

However, the decline of the little town could not be reversed. Some relics of its wealthy past remain. Although many houses are in bad condition, the typical Newari architecture is preserved. A distinctive aspect of Bandipur’s main street is a covered veranda extending along almost the entire length on the northern side.

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