Palpa Nepal: New Destiny for Nature Lovers

The Palpa District lies in Lumbini Province Nepal, Southern Asia. The headquarter of Palpa district is Tansen. Tansen has an area of 1,373 km2 (530 sq mi) and a population of 261,180 inhabitants (2011). Palpa is 273 Km far from Kathmandu.

Palpa is not distant from Pokhara. We can easily reach there by bus. Palpa was the Hindu Sen’s headquarters, which dominated this area about 300 years ago since the 16th century and was therefore known as the Tansen Headquarters.

We can explore Shreenagar Hill or take a day walk on the riverside Rani Mahal, formerly a dynamic palace of Palpa. You can go through the paved streets in the old bazaar to find a way of life.

History of Palpa Nepal

Palpa represents Newari architecture, but it is the home of Magar people. The term “Tansen” means “northern village”, which is derived from Magar language. Palpa is rich in cultural diversity. Palpa was the Sen’s seat which dominated the area for over 300 years since the 16th century.

Originally from Kathmandu valley, Newars traveled to other areas within the country, following the trade and commerce opportunities. In Tansen Palpa, they found an outstanding opportunity to exchange services at the intersection of commercial routes and the administrative office.

People of Palpa

The population of Magar and Newar are high in this district. The Brahmin, Chhetri, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Tamang, and Limbu are the other ethnic groups inhabiting Palpa.

A substantial percentage of the population in the core region of Palpa are still Newar. But in certain areas of the district, Magar are the dominant and the first immigrants.

Best season to visit Tansen Palpa

During summer, the maximum temperature of Palpa reaches 28°C and the average temperature during winter reaches 8°C. In June and July, the region receives its fair share of the monsoon rain and the way there gets wet and muddy.

So, the best time to visit Tansen Palpa during the Summer, Winter and Spring season. But I recommend you not to visit Palpa during the rainy season.

How to reach Palpa Nepal?

There are regular buses that travel from Kathmandu to Tansen. Or, you can fly to Pokhara or Bhairahawa from Kathmandu, then drive to Tansen. Lumbini, Lord Budhha’s Home is only 89.1 Km far from Palpa. It takes roughly 3-4 hours to reach Lumbini from Palpa.

A variety of hotels and lodges in Tansen are good to moderate and fit the budget requirements of all people. The Hotel and Restaurants offers excellent Nepalese cuisines.

What is Palpa Nepal famous for?

1) Palpali Dhaka Topi

Tansen is famous for the traditional colorful Dhaka fabric Topi. Palpali Dhaka Topic is the symbol of being Nepali. The shawls and traditional women’s bags made of Dhaka products are also available in Palpa.

2) First grown Coffee

Palpa is the one among the places in Nepal, where coffee was first produced. For the previous 36 years, coffee has grown here and remains considered to be the greatest in quality.

Farmers don’t use chemical fertilizers during the production of coffee here. People of Palpa cultivate coffee between 800 and 1500 meters above sea level, therefore its quality is quite high.

The cultivated beans are usually medium in size, flavorful, and delicious. Recently, Palpa exports coffee outside Nepal too. You can taste the best quality coffee in various shops of Palpa during your visit.

3) Rani Mahal

In 1887, General Khadga Samsher Rana was forced to leave his title and was sent to Palpa Nepal as Western Commander Chief. In 1892, his youngest loving wife, Tej Kumari Devi, died. He loved his wife very much and in the memory of his beloved wife, he built a palace. Khadga Samsher Rana kept the name of the Palace with his beloved wife name, Rani Mahal (Queens Palace).

Khadga Samsher Rana also named the forest nearby the Palace, as Rani ban (Queen’s Forest). He also named the graveyard near the Palace, as Rani ghat (Queen’s Graveyard).

In 1902, Khadga Samsher Rana, together with his family, escaped to India and abandoned Rani Mahal.  As Khadga Samsher left the palace and fled to India, Rani Mahal had no right owner or guardian left behind.

Both the authorities in Nepal and the local population were concerned with the state of the palace. By the end of the 20th century, Rani Mahal was ruined. Very few visitors, primarily those who were interested in Nepal’s history, visited the palace.

The Government of Nepal has recently completed the program of rebuilding the palace to its original state. This conserved not just national historical sites, but also expanded the tourism opportunities in the area and led to numerous developments. At present, the motorway to Rani Mahal is available.

Rani Mahal from Tansen takes around half an hour. TansenNarayansthan is ready to provide public automobiles. Furthermore, the footpath from Kailashnagar near the Batasedanda leads to Rani Mahal, about 3 kilometers from Tansen. The journey from Batase to Rani Mahal takes roughly 3-4 hours.