Tulsipur, Dang

Tulsipur is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Dang District of Lumbini Province of Nepal. It is the district's second most populous city after Ghorahi. It was established in 1992 by merging the former village development committees (VDCs) Tulsipur and Amritpur. In 2014, it was expanded with the addition of VDCs of Urahari, Tarigaun, Pawannagar and Halwar. At the 2011 Nepal census, it had a population of 141,528 people in 31,243 households.

History
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 (बाइसे राज्य; 22 Principalities), a confederation in what became western Nepal. The Tharu civilization of sukaurakot (at the northern bank of Babai River) is one of the oldest human civilizations which was further extended to the eastern part of the country with the migration of the people of this community towards the east.

Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Tulsipur Submetropolitan City had a population of 142,869. Of these, 74.8% spoke Nepali, 23.3% Tharu, 0.7% Magar, 0.5% Hindi, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Chantyal, 0.1% Kham, 0.1% Maithili, 0.1% Newar, 0.1% Urdu

In terms of ethnicity/caste, 31.8% were Chhetri, 25.0% Tharu, 14.3% Hill Brahmin, 7.8% Magar, 6.9% Kami, 3.6% Damai/Dholi, 2.8% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 2.1% Sarki, 1.5% Thakuri, 0.9% Newar, 0.5% Musalman, 0.4% Badi, 0.4% Gurung, 0.4% Halwai, 0.3% Kumal, 0.2% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 0.2% Gaine, 0.1% Chhantyal, 0.1% other Dalit, 0.1% Kathabaniyan, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% other Terai and 0.1% others.

In terms of religion, 97.8% were Hindu, 0.9% Buddhist, 0.7% Christian, 0.5% Muslim and 0.1% others.

In terms of literacy, 74.5% could read and write, 1.7% could only read and 23.7% could neither read nor write.

Transportation
Dang Airport lies in Old-Tarigaun offering flights to Kathmandu. Roads go north into Salyan District and all the way to Rukum (also called Rapti-Babai Highway) giving its connectivity to Pahadi Lokmarg (Pan Nepal National highway being built up in districts in mountain, parallel to the Mahendra Highway of Terai), 29 km south to the Mahendra Highway Amiliya in Deukhuri Valley and east to Ghorahi and west to Purandhara all the way connecting to Chhinchu, Surkhet. It is the major transit point of southern and western dang, Salyan, Rolpa and Rukum districts and serves as the transportation hub of whole rapti zone.

Local Transportation
The major source of transportation here are buses and jeeps. Nowadays electric auto rikshaw are also running as local transportation in market and town-side area. For the transportation of goods in villages, tractors are rampantly used though trucks are used in the major highways.

Media
To promote local culture, Tulsipur has currently four FM radio stations. Out of which, Radio Tulsipur 100.2MHZ is the first community radio station. Tulsipur Radio Prakriti 93.4 MHz which is the first environment-friendly community radio station, Radio Hamro Pahuncha - 89  MHz Which is a Community radio Station, Radio Tulsipur - 100.2  MHz which is a private radio station and Radio Sanjhibani-91.0. In addition, there are also two local TV station STV and STN channels which broadcasts local events and news. Along with these, many daily and weekly local newspapers have been publishing. There is an online news provider channel that is Tulsipur online. Some newspapers which are publishing from Tulsipur are Gorakshya daily, Rapti Aawaj daily, Tharkot weekly, etc. All the media in the city is listed below for reference.


 * 1.Radio Tulsipur 100.2MHZ
 * 2. Radio Hamro Pahuncha - 89 MHz
 * 3. Radio Prakriti 93.4 MHz
 * 4. Radio Sanjhibani-91.0
 * 5. STN Television Channel
 * 6. Dang Television Channel
 * 7. Rapti Aawaj National Daily
 * 8. Gorakshya National Daily
 * 9. Tharkot Weekly
 * 10. Farakkon.com
 * 11. Tulsipur Online
 * 12. Merotulsipur
 * 13.www.farakpati.com
 * 14.www.farakpana.com

Education
The, then zonal headquarter of Rapti zone hosts various Government, Public-Private and Private educational institutions. Nepal Sanskrit University, NSU (formerly Mahendra Sanskrit University) is the only Sanskrit university and 2nd oldest University of Nepal which is well known all over Nepal and India for the quality of education it provides promoting the ancient Sanskrit, Vedic Astrology, Nepali literature education in Nepal. Students from all over Nepal, from Mechi to Mahakali use to come for vedic language study. It is mainly famous for its cost-effective, which can even be touted almost free, education in Sanskrit. Its main administrative office is located in Beljhundi whereas campus is in Bijauri. Other prominent institution includes Rapti Babai Campus which provides its facilities in various educational streams up to master's degree. Central Ayurvedic College, Rapti life Care Hospital's Staff Nurse programme is also very famous in the Region.

Similarly, Tulsi Boarding School, which is consistently ranked No. 1 in whole Mid-Western and Far-Western Region for its SLC results and well reputed in Nepal to have been awarded the prize of best School in the Mid-Western Region (best in 15 districts in the region). there educational Institutions in Tulsipur include Nepal Sanskrit University, Gorkha Higher Secondary School, Hamro Pahunch Secondary School, Divine temple academy, Himal Academy, Chandrodaya Vidya Kunj boarding school, Aadarsh Academy,Rapti Vidya Mandir Secondary School, Novex College and Gyan Jyoti Education Foundation under which many school and college are running.

Healthcare
In Tulsipur, there is provincial level hospital named Rapti Provincial Hospital for the general medical need. Tulsipur is home to the renowned Rapti Eye Hospital, recognized as one of the foremost specialized eye care facilities in the region. Additionally, the town boasts several private hospitals and clinics catering to both general medical requirements and specialized treatments.

Tourist Spots
Tulsipur boasts several notable attractions, including the Museum of Tharu Civilization at Sukaurakot, which showcases one of Nepal's oldest human civilizations and its influence on southern Nepal. The Ambikeshwari Temple stands out as the city's most popular religious site, complemented by other notable places like the Sawarikot Temple and the Radha-Krishna Temple. Nature enthusiasts flock to the Chameri Cave, located on the northern outskirts of the city, while the Rapti Peace Park in Ganeshpur attracts numerous tourists with its array of attractions, ranging from a small zoo to a water park. This park is a favored destination for family outings, offering respite from the bustling city life.

Moreover, Tulsipur's charm extends to its ancient temples, significant historical sites, diverse ethnic communities, linguistic variety, diverse landscapes, lakes, rich flora and fauna, and enchanting waterfalls, all of which entice visitors from across the nation.