Er. Amit Pokhrel
2012 Bandipur Settlement Study This study was carried out to find the traditional settlement as well as to study the architecture within the Bandipur which belongs in Tanahu districts. The study carries detail information of that area. Post-graduate student of Urban design and conservation
BANDIPUR The very first day of our tour started with a visit to one of the old settlement of Bandipur.
Bandipur (बन््दीपरु ) is a hilltop market place in Tanahu District, (Gandaki Zone) of central Nepal. Because of its preserved, old time cultural atmosphere, Bandipur is increasingly becoming a tourist town. The town is located at 27.56 N latitude, 84.25 E longitude at an elevation of 1030m from MSL. and on a mountain saddlement of (Mahabharata range) approximately 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 connected with an 8 km access road from Dumre (KathmanduPokhara highway). Until, then the city was isolated and connected with only an unreliable road. during the monsoon only accesibility was by tractors. The mountain saddle, just 200m long, is barely wide enough to accommodate the main street lined by 2 –3 storey buildings on either side. At the backsides of these houses the surface steeply descends and used as kitchen, gardens that are only accessible by stone stairs. Bandipur was established as a tunneling point of trade by Newar traders from Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu valley after it had been conquered in 1769 by Prithvi Narayan Shah. They took advantage of its malaria free location to develop into an important stop along the india-tibet trade route that passes through butwal-kathmandu and keyrong. With them they brought their cultural heritage and
architecture of Kathmandu valley, which basically has remained unchanged to this day. Originally, simple Magar villages till the early 19th.Century, Bandipur developed into prosperous trading center and a community with town-like features: a Substantial building, with their neoclassical façades and shuttered windows and paved streets with slabs of slate shows the prosperity of the day. Bandipur had its heyday during 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). After opening of highways in the 1970s, trading fell into a steep decline with the construction of the Kathmandu – Pokhara highway. The people moved down to the valleys. For technical reasons the highway was logically built in the Marsyangdi valley, leaving Bandipur isolated up on the mountain. In addition to that, and its result of poor accessibility, Bandipur lost importance because the districts headquarter of Tanahu was moved down to Damauli. The tradesmen of Bandipur were forced to migrate to Dumre, Naryanghat, Kathmandu valley and many even left for unknown points in the Terai. The population declined considerably. On two occasions Bandipur has witnessed some turmoil. The people were not easily and readily sidestepped by the construction of the road and fought for a different route in the planning process. 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. Again, when the district headquarters were to be moved, the people demonstrated and occupied the administration. The civil servants fled during the night. Even the king was flown in by helicopter to calm the situation. However, the decline of the little town could not be reverted. Some relics of its wealthy past remain. Although many houses are in bad repair, the typical Newari taste of architecture is still preserved. A distinctive feature of Bandipur Main Street is the covered veranda decorated with colourful flower & plants extending almost along the entire length on the northern side. Most of the buildings still have little shops in them. The slate pavings in the main street have been destroyed by heavy vehicular traffic, for which they were not made, but they can still be reconstructed along the edges and in the smaller alleys. The library still exists and was carefully renovated in 2000. Another relic is a soccer-field-sized Tundikhel to the northeast of the town and the villages’ importance as Centre for academic activities for the people surrounding villages.
Formerly a Magar village, Bandipur today is inhabited by multi-ethnic groups with different beliefs: the Bahuns, the Chhetris, the Newars, the Damais, Kamis, Sarkis, Kasais, the Magars and Gurungs. One college is there in Bandipur Notre dame school is a better way for education to providing to people. excellent panoramic view of the Himalayas with Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang Himal, with the Marsyangdi Valley is the Mount Manakamana and Gorkha with its high perching palace; relatively easy accessibility and, of course, old Newari town flair, make Bandipur an interesting tourist site from which a few guesthouses and a hotel at the northern end of the Tundikhel try to benefit. It may well be that the seclusion of Bandipur saved the rural Newari architecture of its beauty which otherwise would have been replaced by faceless modern box found in many other towns of Nepal. The various Newari and Magar festivals, which until recently have been held for own purposes several times a year, can also be of interest to tourists. Sorathi and Chutka dances are very popular. Other attractions include the Bindyabashini temple and the library in the village Centre, Thani Mai, Tindhara (“Three Taps” washing place at the southeastern outskirts), Raniban (Queen's Forest), the downhill trek to the Siddha Cave and a hike to Ramkot village. On Mukundeswari, the elevation at the western end of the saddle is a little shrine and one has a view of Bandipur itself. Some villagers grow oranges, quite well in the climate of that area. An hour’s walk to the west of Bandipur is a silk farm.
Bandipur settlement with street and houses
Khadga devi Temple
Classic building at the entrance of main market from west