Dhankuta - Some interesting facts

This post was first published in Pakhribas.com. 

Dhankuta, as I say it, doesn’t refer to only the district headquarter but the district as a whole. Trying to get closer to my district, I found that it has many things to feel proud of and many things to regret.

Though there’s not much in the internet to know about Dhankuta, being an inhabitant of the district, I was compelled to collect some information about our district and share what I’ve found.

So here goes my list.

A sleepy street in Dhankuta

What Dhankuta can be proud of:

• Dhankuta gave birth to Jhamak Kumari Ghimire, the woman who has been awarded with Madan Puraskar. She suffers from cerebral palsy but her strong will power has made her an established writer and an inspiration for millions. Her award-winning autobiography “flower in the midst of thorns” puts her in likes of Helen Keller and Stephen Hawking.

• Dhankuta has, among the few districts in Nepal, roads linked to almost all the 37 Village Development Committees within its boundary.

• Dhankuta, for regular years, has been declared as one of the best districts in the implementation of the budget provided. In the last fiscal year, Dhankuta was honored as the best in that field and this year, it’s in the second place after Bhaktapur.

• Dhankuta is rich in the consciously preserved cultures of its indigenous people. There is the cultural museum of the Aathpahariya Rais, the Dhan Nach of the Limbus, the Dewali of the Chettris, the Gaijatra of the Newars and more.
• Dhankuta has lots of tourist attractions; Bhedetar with its cool environment,Chintaang with the famous Chintaang Devi, Hile with its tongba and sukuti, Sindhuwa with snowfall during winter, Pakhribas and ARS, Pakhribas.
• Dhankuta has the literacy rate of 72 percent.

What we regret:

• Dhankuta regrets the Chintaang massacre where 15 people were brutally murdered by the advocates of the Panchayat System in 2036B.S.
• The shift of the major government offices from the district headquarter during monarchy of the Shah kings. Some people blame ineffeciency of the political parties too.
• The rising suicide rate within Dhankuta. Some statisticians claim that Dhankuta district comes on the top of the list.
• The unplanned urbanisation within Dhankuta, Hile, Pakhribas and other growing towns.
• The lack of a well facilitated hospital in the district. Usually the district headquarter refers patients to BPKIHS, Dharan.