© Lonely Planet Publications 270 www.lonelyplanet.com THE TERAI & MAHABHARAT RANGE •• History 271 The Terai & History and agricultural development in the plains Travelling through the Terai today, it’s hard is slowly raising the quality of life for the to believe that this was once one of the most nation, at least in economic terms. Mahabharat Range important places in the subcontinent. In 563 BC, the queen of the tiny kingdom of Kapil- Climate avastu gave birth to a son named Siddhartha The Terai has a similar climate to the north- Gautama and 35 years later, under a Bodhi ern plains of India – hot as a furnace from tree at Bodhgaya in India, Buddhism was May to October and drenched by monsoon Hanging out in the plains might not be the first thing that comes to mind when visiting the born. The Indian Buddhist emperor Ashoka rains from June to September. Try to visit in world’s most mountainous nation, but the Terai is a fascinating and varied place and most made a famous pilgrimage here in 249 BC, winter (November to February) when skies people see only a tiny fraction of it as they rush between the Indian border and the hills. leaving a commemorative pillar at the site of are clear and temperatures are moderate. There are plains and jungles, forts and temples, ancient monuments and national parks, the Buddha’s birth in Lumbini. The annual monsoon rains can severely af- Nepal also played a pivotal role in the fect transport in the region – dirt roads turn wilderness and bustling bazaars, plus the lush green landscape of the Chure and Mahabharat development of Hinduism. Sita, the wife of to mud, dry stream beds become raging tor- hills. If you thought the Terai was all pancake flat, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Rama and heroine of the Ramayana, was the rents and roads and bridges are routinely daughter of the historical king Janak, who washed away. Allow extra time for any long- The vast majority of travellers follow a well-established route through the Terai, from ruled large parts of the plains from his capi- distance journeys and be prepared to fly if Kathmandu or Pokhara to Royal Chitwan National Park and on to the Indian border crossing tal at Janakpur. Janak founded the Mithila necessary to get around these obstacles. at Sunauli. However, more and more people are escaping this touristy circuit and discovering kingdom, which flourished until the third the cities of the Terai – places like Janakpur and Tansen – and the historical birthplace of century AD, when its lands were seized by Dangers & Annoyances the Gutpas from Patna in northern India. There is a lot of misinformation about the the Buddha at Lumbini. If you’re heading to India, don’t restrict yourself to Sunauli – there The depopulation of the Terai began safety of travel in the Terai. Tourist offices are four other border crossings between India and Nepal, providing easy access to Delhi, in earnest in the 14th century, when the often insist that everything is safe while Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow and Darjeeling. Mughals swept across the plains of north- embassies claim that it’s dangerous to even ern India. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu leave the Kathmandu Valley. In reality, the Tourism to the Terai dropped off markedly in the early years of the Maoist uprising, but and Buddhist refugees fled up into the hills, safety of travel depends on the current status visitor numbers seem to be slowly creeping upwards. However, the situation remains volatile many settling in the Kathmandu valley, of negotiations between the Maoists and the and the long-term future of tourism in the Terai depends on the government and Maoists which later rose to prominence as the capi- Nepali government. During ceasefires, eve- tal of the Shah dynasty. Aided by legions rything operates as normal, but violence can finding a political solution to their grievances. At the time of writing, the most obvious of fearsome Gurkha warriors, the Shahs re- flare up quickly so it’s important to check signs of the insurgency were the army roadblocks along major highways, but it’s essential claimed the plains, expanding the borders the security situation before you visit. There to check the latest security situation before you visit (see p19 ). of Nepal to twice their modern size. are few areas where travel is particularly Although the British never conquered risky – the far west of Nepal is the heart- Nepal, they had regular skirmishes with land of the Maoist insurgency and attacks the Shahs. A treaty was signed in 1816 that on government installations are common, trimmed the kingdom to roughly its cur- particularly north of the Mahendra Hwy. rent borders. Nepal later regained some The hills in the far east of Nepal are another HIGHLIGHTS additional land (including the city of Nepa- potential flashpoint, particularly close to the Spot rhinos from the back of another jungle giant – the Indian elephant – in Royal Chitwan lganj) as a reward for assisting the British in border with Sikkim. Things are generally National Park ( p281 ) the 1857 Indian Uprising. peaceful in the central Terai but there have The Terai was covered by swathes of been attacks in the villages around Royal Visit Sauraha ( p280 ) to scrub a jumbo at elephant bathtime jungle well into the 1950s. The indigenous Chitwan National Park (including Sauraha), Hike to Chepang villages ( p288 ) on the new trekking route to the Chitwan Hills people of the plains, the Tharu, lived an and more recently, near Lumbini. For more Tour terrific temples and hike to the fabulous Ranighat Durbar from the hill town of Tansen almost stone-age existence until 1954, when on security issues see p19 ). ( p298 ) DDT was used to drive malaria from the The most obvious sign of the insurgency plains and thousands of land-hungry farm- for travellers is the network of army check- See the jungle without the crowds at Royal Bardia National Park ( p308 ) in the western Terai RANGE MAHABHARAT ers flocked into the Terai from India and points on all major roads. Foreigners are Support women artisans at the Janakpur the Nepali hills. usually waved straight through, but locals THE TERAI& Royal Bardia Women’s Development Centre ( p312 ) in National Park Today, the Tharu are one of the most must disembark for questioning and bag Janakpur Chitwan Hills disadvantaged groups in Nepal, and huge checks, which can add hours to journey Tansen When the hills are peaceful, stay in a traditional Sauraha areas of the forest have been sacrificed for times. At times of conflict, night-time cur- Tibetan lodge in lofty Hile ( p320 ) Royal Chitwan Hile farmland and industrial development. Nev- fews are imposed across the Terai. National Park Janakpur ertheless, some large patches of wilderness An equally pressing problem for tourists is THE TERAI & THE TERAI & remain, preserved in a series of excellent the risky nature of road transport in the Terai, MAHABHARAT RANGE MAHABHARAT national parks, and the massive industrial see p272 for more information. Another 272 THE TERAI & MAHABHARAT RANGE •• Getting There & Away www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com CENTRAL TERAI •• Narayangarh & Bharatpur 273 potential problem for travellers is the annual ‘Crossing the Border’ boxed texts under CAR NARAYANGARH & BHARATPUR monsoon. Rivers already swelled by melt- Sunauli, Nepalganj, Birganj, Mahendrana- To avoid the hassle of local bus services, %056 water from the mountains are inundated by gar and Kakarbhitta. For more on crossing you can hire a car and driver in Kath- Narayangarh (also spelt Narayangadh and rainwater and floods are inevitable. between Nepal and India, see p380 . mandu. Most travel agencies can make ar- Narayanghat) sits at the junction of the Mug- rangements and the going rate for a Toyota ling Hwy and the Mahendra Hwy, which Getting There & Away Getting Around Corolla and driver is around Rs 4000 per runs the length of Nepal, from Mahendran- The Terai is easily accessible from Kath- Buses and minibuses are the main form of day, including petrol. On top of this, you agar to Kakarbhitta. It’s the first major town mandu and Pokhara in Nepal and from transport around the Terai with the Mao- must also pay for road tolls and meals and you come to once you leave the hills and it’s West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in ist ceasefire, night services have resumed accommodation for the driver. an important transport hub, though most India. The Indian rail network passes close between Kathmandu and Pokhara and people only come here to change buses on to several of the most important border the main border crossings. However, road TRAIN the way to Royal Chitwan National Park. crossings and there are frequent bus and safety can be an issue, particularly for night A single narrow-gauge train line runs be- If you do find yourself stopping over, air connections from the Terai to towns and travel – see below for more information. tween Janakpur and the Indian border. there are several small mandirs (temples) villages across Nepal. Foreign tourists can’t cross into India via along the Narayani River that offer pleas- BICYCLE this route but the train makes for a great ing views of the forested west shore. A more AIR On the face of it, the Terai is perfectly suited excursion from Janakpur – see p312 for rewarding detour is the 20-minute bus trip Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC; www for cycling – the terrain is pool-table flat, details. to the pilgrimage centre of Devghat ( p274 ). .royalnepal.com) and many private airlines there are villages every few miles and traffic There are no foreign exchange facilities but offer flights around the Terai.