Syangja District



Syangja District (स्याङ्जा जिल्ला; ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Syangja bazaar (a small town) as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,164 km2 and had a population of 289,148 It lies in the hilly region at an altitude ranging from about 300 meters along the banks of Kaligandaki river up to a couple of thousands meters above the sea level. It lies at about latitude 28°4'60 North and longitude 83°52'0 East.

The district now has five municipalities Waling, Putalibazar, Chapakot, Bhirkot and Galyang and six rural municipalities Aandhikhola, Arjun Chaupari, Biruwa, Phedikhola, Harinas and Kaligandaki

Syangja in 1994 under the auspices of the South Asia Poverty Alleviation Program (SAPAP) of the UNDP, received million of dollars of international investment and has become a model for national development. Syangja's model has proved so successful that the Government of Nepal joined forces with the SAPAP to extend the project to other districts and make it a model for national development. It has been initiated or implemented in at least 200 Village Development Councils (VDC/s) of 45 districts of Nepal.

People of many ethnicities live in this district. The major groups are Brahmin, Chetri, Gurung and Magar.

Kali Gandaki A Hydropower is the largest hydropower plant of the nation located on the Kali Gandaki river in Kaligandaki Gaunpalika. It has the maximum plant capacity of 144 MW. Largest and developed city Waling

People and places
Many different ethnicity of people live in this district. The major groups consisting of Brahmin, Kshetri, Gurung, Magar and others. Brahmin and Chhetri (Kshetriya) are renowned by their representation in the governmental jobs and Indian army respectively. Gurungs and Magars are known for their involvement in British Army Gurkhas and Military of India. There is a popular saying that "when you go to Syangja and hit randomly a house with a stone that house surely belongs to Section-Officer".

The headquarters of Syanga district lies at Syangja bazaar. Some places of historical interest in this district are Satahun Chandi, Manakamana, Bhirkot Durbar, Alamdevi, Gahraukalika, Nuwakot Durbar, Chhangchhangdi and Ridi Ruru Kshetra on the banks of Kaligandaki river. Chhangchhangdi (Chaya-kshetra) is mentioned in the Swasthani Vrata-Katha, considered to be a part of the Skanda Purana, as the place where the last organ of dead Satidevi fell when she was being carried by Lord Shiva. Among the three municipalities, Putalibazar municipality lies in the eastern side whereas Waling municipality in the western Syangja, the newly formed Chapakot municipality is on the east-south. Waling is a longitudinal valley along the banks of the Aandhikhola river. According to one folk legend, Aandhikhola river is believed to be originated from the tears of Shravan of the Ramayana. The largest valley in Syangja is Ramkosh. There are places to hike including Chandithaan which is Devi temple and Hunikot a viewpoint over Putalibazar.

Political division
Syangja district has 11 local units among them five are municipalities (Nagarpalika) and six rural municipalities (guanpalika) recently with the formulation of new constitution and provincial division of the country.
 * 1) Galyang Municipality
 * 2) Chapakot Municipality
 * 3) Putalibazar Municipality
 * 4) Bheerkot Municipality
 * 5) Waling Municipality
 * 6) Arjun Chaupari Rural Municipality
 * 7) Aandhikhola Rural Municipality
 * 8) Kaligandaki Rural Municipality
 * 9) Phedikhola Rural Municipality
 * 10) Harinas Rural Municipality
 * 11) Biruwa Rural Municipality

Former Village Development Committees and municipalities



 * Alamdevi
 * Arjun Chaupari
 * Aruchaur
 * Arukharka
 * Bangephadke
 * Bahakot
 * Banethok Deurali
 * Bhatkhola
 * Bhirkot Municipality
 * Bichari Chautara
 * Birgha Archale
 * Biruwa Archale
 * Chandi Bhanjyang
 * Chapakot Municipality
 * Chhangchhangdi
 * Chilaunebas
 * Chinnebas
 * Chisapani
 * Chitre Bhanjyang
 * Darsing Dahathum
 * Dhapuk Simal Bhanjyang
 * Iladi
 * Jagat Bhanjyang
 * Jagatradevi
 * Kalikakot
 * Kolma Barahachaur
 * Keware Bhanjyang
 * Khilung Deurali
 * Kichnas
 * Kyakami
 * Majhakot Sivalaya
 * Malengkot
 * Malunga Tunibot
 * Manakamana
 * Nibuwakharka
 * Oraste
 * Pakbadi
 * Panchamul
 * Pauwegaude
 * Pelakot
 * Pelkachaur
 * Phaparthum
 * Phedikhola
 * Pindikhola
 * Putalibazar Municipality
 * Rangvang
 * Rapakot
 * Ratnapur
 * Sankhar
 * Daraun
 * Sirsekot Kaule
 * Sekham
 * Setidobhan
 * Srikrishna Gandaki
 * Sirsekot
 * Sorek
 * Taksar
 * Thuladihi
 * Thumpokhara
 * Tindobate
 * Tulsibhanjyang
 * Waling Municipality
 * Wangsing Deurali
 * Yaladi

Municipalities

 * Waling Municipality (formed from former Dhanubase, Pekhu and Walling VDCs)
 * Putalibazar Municipality (formed from former Putalibazar, Satupasal, Chandikalika, Ganeshpur and Karendanda VDCs)
 * Chapakot Municipality (formed from former Chapakot, Kuwakot and Ratnapur VDCs)
 * Bhirkot Municipality (formed from former Bayarghari, Dahathum VDCs)

Villages

 * Pekhu Baghakhor

Road connection
Syangja was connected to Pokhara and Bhairahawa, two of the most prominent cities of Western Nepal, after the construction of the Siddhartha Highway. The highway enters this district in the North from Kubhinde and leaves in the South to Ramdi of Palpa district.

Hydroelectricity


The Kaligandaki A Hydroelectric Power Station built on the Kali Gandaki River is the largest hydroelectric project in Nepal, with an installed capacity of 144 MW. Besides the Kaligandaki A, Aadhikhola hydroelectric and some other, smaller, hydroelectric projects have been started in this district.

Of all the districts in Nepal, Syangja is one of the few districts in the country that does not suffer from the problem of loadshedding, or scheduled electric outages, while the nation suffers hours of loadshedding each day.

Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Syangja District had a population of 289,148.

As first language, 74.4% spoke Nepali, 15.1% Magar, 7.8% Gurung, 1.7% Newari, 0.3% Urdu, 0.2% Bhujel, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Maithili and 0.1% other languages as their first language.

Ethnicity/caste: 30.9% were Hill Brahmin, 21.5% Magar, 11.5% Chhetri, 9.0% Gurung, 8.0% Kami, 4.0% Sarki, 3.7% Damai/Dholi, 3.3% Newar, 2.5% Thakuri, 2.4% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.7% Musalman, 0.6% Kumal, 0.6% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.3% Majhi, 0.2% Khawas, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Bote, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% other Terai, 0.1% Tharu and 0.2% others.

Religion: 90.2% were Hindu, 7.4% Buddhist, 1.3% Bon, 0.7% Muslim, 0.2% Christian and 0.2% others.

Literacy: 76.5% could read and write, 1.6% could only read and 21.8% could neither read nor write.

2015 Nepal earthquake
The district was affected by an earthquake on 25 April 2015. At least one house was destroyed.