PSD NEPAL Partnership for Sustainable Development PSD Nepal, 370 Thirbum Sadak 3, Dillibazar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977-1-4411648 © Email: [email protected] Director: Bishnu Bhatta Baglung District, Western Nepal Introduction Baglung Bazaar is located in Baglung District, one of the 75 district zones of Nepal, and nestled in the centre of the Himalayan Kingdom. Baglung - in Province 4 - is often referred to as the 'garden state', a district of rich, luscious vegetation, with fertile soils and agricultural land. The shape of the district reflects Nepal as a whole, with a clear rectangular form and an east-west emphasis. Baglung is the administrative headquarter of Baglung District and the whole Dhawalagiri Zone. Baglung is the largest and most populous of the tri-cities area of the Kali Gandaki valley, one of the three great rivers of Nepal. The other two district headquarters are Beni (Myagdi) and Kushma (Parbat). Baglung is a major business, financial, educational and healthcare centre for the people of this region, and the Kali Gandaki valley as a whole. Access to Baglung Bazaar is facilitated by good roads to the east and north, in particular, in the direction of Beni and Tatopani (north), and also Pokhara and Kathmandu (east). Baglung district lies around 275km west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The landscape of Baglung district is endemic Himalayan foothill; luscious green padi fields in terraced form; dusty dirt tracks connecting rural villages, hamlets, and farms; fresh waters intersecting the hills with fast-flowing rivers. The district covers 1,784 square km, with a total population of 268,613 (2011 census). The capital Baglung Bazaar has a population of 57,823. This report introduces the geography, history, culture, and economy of the Baglung area, with a view to developing the projects and programs of PSD Nepal in the region. These include a medical elective program, summer volunteer projects, teacher training at Bhimsen Higher Secondary School, and opening up a new stream of support to the region in partnership with NAFA Nourishes. PSD Nepal, Kathmandu 2 Report by Samuel Johns Geography Baglung District is located 275km west of Kathmandu, in the centre of Nepal. This region of Nepal is known as 'foothills territory', with hills up to 1000m or 1500m in parts, slowly rising in the north, in the direction of the High Himalaya. Baglung Bazaar itself is situated on a plateau overlooking the Kali Gandaki gorge directly south of the Dhaulagiri Himalayan range. Annual average temperatures range from a maximum of 26.6°C and a minimum of 19.1°C. Highs above 35°C & lows below 0°C are rare. The average annual rainfall recorded is 1,061 ml. Rainfall is heavily affected by the monsoon and mostly occurs during the months of Jun-Sept. The remainder of the year is mostly dry & sunny, with rare snowfall. The district is starred below; The geography of the district of Baglung is known for fertile farming land. Terraced padi fields and intensively cultivated land dominate the rural landscape. Alongside rice, corn, millet, wheat, and potato as the staple crops of Baglung, medicinal plants are also grown, and small scale mining exists for iron, copper, and slate. The altitude differentials in the district are marked, with the lowest point at 650m (Kharbang) and the highest altitude 4,300m (Dhorpatan). As such, a number of climatic zones exist across the diverse landscapes of Baglung district. These include; upper tropical (3% area), subtropical (37%), temperate (39%), subalpine (19%) and alpine (2%). Subtropical (from 1000-2000m) and temperate (from 2000-3000m) zones dominate the landscape as the most common forms of climatic zones. Terraced fields, waterfalls, rushing rivers, temperate forests, deep gorges and caves are abundant throughout the Baglung area. Baglung is the vantage point for trekkers to Mustang, Dolpa and Mt. Dhaulagiri, as well as being home to the only hunting reserve in Nepal. Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is a prime habitat for blue sheep and snow leopards. PSD Nepal, Kathmandu 3 Report by Samuel Johns History & Culture The inhabitants of Baglung District are a mixture of Nepali nationals, with a total population of 268,613 (2011 census). Nepali, with a unique regional accent, is the most widely spoken language of the region, although other languages are also spoken; Newari, Gurung, Thakali, Tibetan and Magar. The district is multicultural & multiracial, with the majority of the population belonging to ethnic communities of Magar, Chhettri, Chhantyal, and Dalits. Smaller groups of Newar, Brahmin, Gurung and Thakali also live in the area. Almost all people are practising Hindus, although there are also some Buddhist and Islamic communities. In Dhorpatan, there exists a small Tibetan refugee camp. Baglung Bazaar is the 42nd largest city in Nepal, with an annual growth rate just over 3%. It is the major population centre of the tri-cities area in the Kali Gandaki zone. Baglung and adjacent areas are well known for folk Nepali music, and the area has produced some prominent names in national folk music. There is an annual competition for such music, held during the Chaitre Dashain festival. The most notable artists include The Sky Band, S K Shrestha, and Godhuli Band. Baglung is home to many pilgrimage temples. The Kalika temple, built by King Pratapi Narayan in 1534, and renovated in the late 1990s, is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. Particularly busy times include the festival seasons of Dashain and Chaitre Dashain. Baglung District is known for high suspension bridges, helping local villagers to cross deep gorges and steep-sided river valleys with ease. One such example is the 118m high suspension bridge heading west from Baglung Bazaar itself, over the river Kathe Khola, in the administrative capital of the district. Taken as a whole, Baglung district is a diverse site of religion, culture, ethnicity, altitude, geography, and history. With Hinduism as the major religion of the area, the incidence and fervour of Hindu festivals and traditions is marked. Magar, Chhetri, Brahman, Newar, Gurung, Chhantyal, and Thakali ethnic groups celebrate these with vigour. PSD Nepal, Kathmandu 4 Report by Samuel Johns Economy Traditionally, subsistence farming has dominated the economy of Baglung District, with rice padi fields and lentil cultivation. The other main staple crops include corn, millet, wheat, and potato. In the 20th Century small-scale mining for copper and iron was popular in Baglung District, though most of these mines have now shut, due to economic pressure. The only mining that remains is slate mining, with slate widely used for roofing in the district. The main trading centres of Baglung District include Baglung Bazaar (Municipality), Hatiya- Galkot, and Burtibang. Other major trading towns include Kusma, Beni, and Galkot, all of which are connected to Baglung Bazaar by road. Highways are paved in the district and local buses serve local people well for daily transportation. Pokhara is only 72km to the east, and takes around 5 to 6 hours by bus. Other transport routes include the highway to the north via Mustang (to Tibet); Rukum to the west; and Sera Bazaar to the south, via Balewa airport. In the future, Baglang Bazaar hopes to be the 'middle hill' of Nepal, at the crossroads of north- south highways linking India with Tibet, and east-west highways linking Nepal together. Further to these major road constructions, many dirt tracks have been carved into the hillside, linking rural villages together. These are served by daily jeep services, carrying up to 10 passengers each. Balewa airport (code: BGL) is located 12km to the south of Baglung, across the valley from Kusma, and has recently started being used by Yeti Airlines for freight deliveries. Baglung district is served by the Nepal Electricity Authority, as well as many local hydropower plants, and almost all rural villages in the district now have access to electricity. Telephone lines also link the rural villages, and accessibility to the internet is improving. Baglung District is one of the most politically conscious and engaged districts in all of Nepal. It plays a significant role in national politics, serving as an important administrative capital in Nepal as a whole. The mayor is Janak Paudel, and deputy mayor Surendra Bahadur Khadka. With a large presence of government and non-government institutions, Baglung has grown into both a zonal & district headquaters. Many rallies and political conferences are held here, annually. The tri-cities area around the Kali Gandaki also hosts a significant presence of Nepali Army, Police, and Armed Police Forces. People in this region have a history of enlisting in the British and Indian Armies, with many ex-Gurkhas returning to live here after service. The district as a whole receives one of the highest amounts of remittances earned from foreign employment, in all districts of Nepal (e.g. in 2010 ex-Indian service men earned $20MM USD). As such, many national banks have opened both branches and regional offices in Baglung. The town has become both a banking and administrative hub. The city is also bustling with many clothing stores, electronic outlets, grocery shops, newsstands, repair shops, and tailors. Most manufacturing work revolves around construction materials and home furnishings. Employment opportunities are also afforded by schools and institutions of higher education. PSD Nepal, Kathmandu 5 Report by Samuel Johns PSD Nepal Projects Large parts of the Nepali population live in poverty and are unable to access education, health services, information and resources necessary to bring positive and lasting change for themselves, their environment and their own community. PSD was formed in 2002 to support the underprivileged communities of Nepal, and in particular the disabled, women and children, and youth. PSD Nepal has just marked its 15th anniversary of service in Nepal.