Visiting Nepal

Bandipur

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Bandipur is situated at 27.93 N, 84.42 E and an elevation of 1030m on a mountain saddle (Mahabharat range) about 700m above the Marsyangdi River Valley,

143 km to the west of Kathmandu and 80 km to the east of Pokhara. Since 1998 it is linked by a 8km access road from Dumre (Kathmandu-Pokhara highway). mountain saddle, just 200m long, is barely wide enough to accommodate the main street lined by 2 –3 storey buildings on either side. Bandipur is a picturesque town nestled in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, a land as famous for its natural beauty as for the hospitality of its people. Bandipur lies midway between the capital Kathmandu and Pokhara, another popular tourist destination.

Situated on a hilltop above the highway town of Dumre, Bandipur captivates the visitor with its cultural appeal and pristine scenery. This Newar town has maintained its age-old flavour, and presents sightseers with a heady mix of history, architecture, incredible views, awesome caves and unspoiled landscapes.
Bandipur is an outpost of the refined civilization of the Kathmandu Valley, and it is an ideal retreat to soak in this fabulous heritage along with the natural splendour of the surroundings. With its varied attractions ranging from the artistic to the scenic, Bandipur entices visitors of all interests to come and discover something for oneself.

History

 Bandipur was once a prosperous trading center, and its charming buildings, with their neoclassical facades and shuttered windows, bespeak its past glory. Along with their trading skills, the Newars brought with them their rich cultural heritage and architecture, which still defines the look and feel of today's Bandipur.
Bandipur was established as a funnelling point of trade by Newar traders from Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu valley after it had been conquered in 1768 by Prithvi Narayan Shah. They took advantage of its malaria free location to develop it into an important stop along the India-Tibet trade route. Originally a simple Magar village in the early 19th. Century Bandipur developed into prosperous trading centre and a community with town-like features: substantial buildings, with their neoclassical facades and shuttered windows and streets paved with slabs of silverish slate. Bandipur had its heyday in the Rana times (1846-1951), when, as a measure of its power and prestige, it was granted special permission to have its own library (still existing).

In the 1970s, trading fell into a steep decline with the construction of the Kathmandu – Pokhara highway. For technical reasons it was logically built in the Marsyangdi valley, leaving Bandipur isolated up on the mountain. In addition to that, as a result of its poor accessibility, Bandipur lost importance because the district headquarters of Tahahu were moved to Damauli. The tradesmen of Bandipur were forced to move down to Dumre and many even left for the Terai; Bandipur turned a semi-ghost town. The population declined considerably. On two occasions Bandipur has witnessed some turmoil. In the 1970s, when the first demonstrations for democracy took place in Nepal, the people of Bandipur stormed the little garrison. Several people were killed and the soldiers fled. A distinctive aspect of Bandipur’s main street is a covered veranda extending along almost the entire length on the northern side. The library still exists and was carefully renovated in 2000. Another relic is a soccer-field-sized Tundikhel to the northeast of Bandipur and the villages importance as centre for schools for the surrounding villages.

Bandipur saw its heyday during the Rana period (1846-1951). Shunted from the traffic, commerce shifted to Damauli, and Bandipur turned into a near ghost town.