Dolakha, often known as Dolkha or Dholkha (
Nepal Bhasa
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surro ...
:दोलखा जिल्ला)), a part of
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province ( ne, बाग्मती प्रदेश, ''Bagmati Pradesh'') is one of the seven provinces of Nepal established by the constitution of Nepal. The province is Nepal's second-most populous province and fifth largest provinc ...
, is one of the seventy-seven
districts of Nepal
Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided in municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal.
After the state's reconstruction of admi ...
. The district, with
Charikot
Bhimeshwar, (formerly ''Charikot''), is a municipality in north-eastern Nepal and the headquarters of Dolakha District in Bagmati Province that was established in 1997 by merging the former Village development committees Charikot, Dolakha Town, ...
as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 204,229 in 2001 and 186,557 in 2011.
It is a district with a strong religious affiliation. It is popularly known amongst most Nepalese for the temple of Dolakha Bhimeshawor.
The name Dolkha arose from Newar Community. In the
classical Nepal Bhasa language "Dol" or "Dwal" means Thousand (Hajar), and "Kha" means houses or temple (Ghar va mandirharu) which means "The place that have thousand houses and temples" (Hajar ghar va mandir bhaeko thau).
Bhimeshwar Temple
The Bhimeshwar temple is located in Dolakha Bazar of Bhimeshwar. The main statue of this temple is God Bhim.
Bhimsen, Bhimeshwar, or Bhim of Dolakha is noted as one of the most popular throughout the country. He was the second prince of Panch Pandav and notably worshiped by the traders or merchandisers as their god. In Dolakha, the roofless temple constitutes the idol of Bhimsen, which is triangular in shape and made of rough stone. The idol in the temple is said to resemble three different gods: Bhimeshwar in the morning,
Mahadeva Mahadeva may refer to:
Religion
*Mahadeva, a title of the Hindu god Shiva
** Parashiva, a form of Shiva
** Parameshwara (god), a form of Shiva
*Para Brahman, a Hindu deity
*Adi-Buddha, in Buddhism, the "First Buddha" or the "Primordial Buddha"
*M ...
during the day and the Narayana in the evening.
Local legend has it that ages ago, 12 porters coming from elsewhere stopped at this spot and made three stone stoves to cook rice. After a few minutes, it was noticed that one side of the rice grains was cooked but the other side was raw. When the Porter flipped the cooked side up, the cooked rice became raw again when it came in contact with the triangular-shaped black-stone. One of the porters became very angry and stabbed the stone with "Paneu" (laddle), which cut the stone and out of the cut flowed blood coated with milk. Later they realized that the stone is God Bhim. Worshippers started pouring in to pray to God Bhim. There are many faith-challenging incidents about the Bhimsen of Dolakha. The miraculous things of Bhimsen statue of Dolakha include sweating fluid like drops of warm water. People believe that if any bad incident is happening or going to happen in near future in the country then Bhimsen himself tries to protect his people by warning them through sweating etc.
From the point of view of Shree Bhimeshwar Shivapuran, there was a kingdom of Bhima that was blessed by God Brahma at the side of a mountain peak. The people, who lived in the Bhima's kingdom had to live very sorrowful lives from the Bhima and so they prayed to god Shiva to save their lives. Then God Shiva came from Gaurishanker and killed the king Bhima. According to the history after Bhima's death, the statue of God at that spot was named -
Bhimeshwar
Bhimeshwar, (formerly ''Charikot''), is a municipality in north-eastern Nepal and the headquarters of Dolakha District in Bagmati Province that was established in 1997 by merging the former Village development committees Charikot, Dolakha Town, ...
(भिमेश्वर).
Dolakha is also home to another holy temple - Kalinchowk Bhagawati. It is situated in high mountains at an altitude of about 3842m and the pilgrims are known to walk a long and dangerous route via the mountains to the temple. But, in 2018 the government started a new cable car service for the comfort of the pilgrims. The temple is believed to have strong spiritual power and known to fulfill the prayer of the pilgrims.
Geography and climate
Demographics
At the time of the
2011 Nepal census
Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
, Dolakha District had a population of 186,557. Of these, 65.2% spoke
Nepali, 15.8%
Tamang
The Tamang (; Devanagari: तामाङ; ''tāmāṅ'') are an Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Nepal. In Nepal Tamang/Moormi people constitute 5.6% of the Nepalese population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 c ...
, 8.0%
Thami
The Thangmi (in Nepali थामी) are an indigenous tribe of the hills east of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. They mainly live in Suspa, Kshamawati, Khopachagu, Alampu, Bigu, Kalinchok, Lapilang and Lakuri Danda villages of Dolakha district i ...
, 7.6%
Sherpa Sherpa may refer to:
Ethnography
* Sherpa people, an ethnic group in north eastern Nepal
* Sherpa language
Organizations and companies
* Sherpa (association), a French network of jurists dedicated to promoting corporate social responsibility
* ...
, 2.3%
Jirel
The Jirels ( ne, जिरेल जाति) is an ethnic Kirat
The Kirati people, also spelled as Kirant or Kiranti, are a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group. They are peoples of the Himalayas, mostly the Eastern Himalaya extending eastward from ...
, 2.0%
Newari and 1.0%
Sunuwar
The Sunuwar or Koinch (; ''Sunuwār Jāti'') is a Kirati tribe native to Nepal, parts of India (West Bengal and Sikkim) and southern Bhutan. They speak the Sunuwar language. According to the 2001 census of Nepal, 17% of the tribe follow the ...
as their
first language
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
.
32.5% of the population in the district spoke
Nepali and 0.6%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
as their
second language
A person's second language, or L2, is a language that is not the native language (first language or L1) of the speaker, but is learned later. A second language may be a neighbouring language, another language of the speaker's home country, or a fo ...
.
Administration
The district consists of 9
Municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
, out of which two are urban municipalities and seven are
rural municipalities. These are as follows:
*
Bhimeswor Municipality
*
Jiri Municipality
*
Kalinchok Rural Municipality
*
Melung Rural Municipality
*
Bigu Rural Municipality
'Bigu is a former village development committee that is now a ward-BiguRural Municipality in Dolakha District in Bagmati Province of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1,736 people living in 361 indiv ...
*
Gaurishankar Rural Municipality
Gaurishankar ( ne, :ne:गौरीशंकर गाउँपालिका ), a part of Bagmati Province, Nepal, is a Gaunpalika, rural municipality located in Dolakha District. With Suri, Dolakha, Suri as its current official headquarters, th ...
*
Baiteshwor Rural Municipality
Baiteshwor is a Gaunpalika, rural municipality located within the Dolakha District of the Bagmati Province of Nepal. The municipality spans of area, with a total population of 19,876 according to a 2011 Nepal census.
On March 10, 2017, the Gover ...
*
Sailung Rural Municipality
Shailung is a Gaunpalika, rural municipality located within the Dolakha District of the Bagmati Province of Nepal. The municipality spans of area, with a total population of 20,098 according to a 2011 Nepal census.
On March 10, 2017, the Governm ...
*
Tamakoshi Rural Municipality
Tamakoshi is a rural municipality located within the Dolakha District of the Bagmati Province of Nepal. The municipality spans of area, with a total population of 18,849 according to a 2011 Nepal census.
On March 10, 2017, the Government of Nep ...
Former Municipalities and Village Development Committees (VDCs)
Prior to the restructuring of the district, Dolakha consisted of the following municipalities and
Village development committees:
*
Alampu
*
Babare
Babare ( ne, बाबरे) is a village (previously: VDC) in Kalinchowk Rural Municipality in Dolakha District in the Bagmati Province of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3,392 people living in 7 ...
*
Bhedapu
Bhedpu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Bhimeshwar
Bhimeshwar, (formerly ''Charikot''), is a municipality in north-eastern Nepal and the headquarters of Dolakha District in Bagmati Province that was established in 1997 by merging the former Village development committees Charikot, Dolakha Town, ...
Municipality
*
Bhirkot
*
Bhusapheda
Bhusapheda is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Bigu
*
Bocha
*
Bulung
Bulung is a Village development committee (Nepal), village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2,128 people living in 455 individual ho ...
*
Chankhu
Chankhu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of St ...
*
Chhetrapa
Kshetrapa (Nepali language, Nepali:क्षेत्रपा) is a Village development committee (Nepal), village development committee in north-eastern Nepal. As per the 2011 Nepal census, 2011 National Population and Housing Census, Kshetrapa ...
*
Chilankha
Chilankha is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Chyama
Chyama is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Dadhpokhari
Dudhpokhari is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau o ...
*
Dandakharka
*
Dolakha Town
*
Gairimudi
Gairimudi is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Gauri Sankar
Gaurishankar (also Gauri Sankar or Gauri Shankar; Nepali : ; Sherpa: Jomo Tseringma;) is a mountain in the Nepal Himalayas, the second highest peak of the Rolwaling Himal, behind Melungtse (7,181m). The name comes from the Hindu goddess Gauri, ...
*
Ghang Sukathokar
Ghyang Sukathokar is a village development committee (VDC) in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Centra ...
*
Hawa
*
Japhe
Japhe is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stat ...
*
Jhule
Jhule is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stat ...
*
Jhyaku
Jhyaku is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Jiri Municipality
*
Jugu
Jugu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stat ...
*
Kabhre
*
Kalinchok
Kalinchowk is a Rural municipality located within the Dolakha district of the Bagmati province of Nepal. The municipality spans of area, with a total population of 22,954 according to a 2011 Nepal census.
On March 10, 2017, the Government of Ne ...
*
Katakuti
Katakuti is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Khare
*
Khupachagu
Khupachagu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Laduk
Laduk is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stat ...
*
Lakuri Danda
Lakuri Danda is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Bagmati Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau o ...
*
Lamabagar
Lamabagar is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Lamidanda
*
Lapilang
Lapilang is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of S ...
*
Magapauwa
Magapauwa is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Makaibari
Makaibari is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
*
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
, now Jiri Mun.
*
Malu
is a word in the Samoan language for a female-specific tattoo of cultural significance. The covers the legs from just below the knee to the upper thighs just below the buttocks, and is typically finer and delicate in design compared to the , t ...
*
Marbu
Marbu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Mati
*
Melung
*
Mirge
*
Namdu
Namdu is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Orang
*
Pawati
*
Phasku
Phasku is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Sta ...
*
Sahare
*
Shailungeshwar
*
Sunakhani
Sunkhani is a ward committee located in Kalinchowk Rural Municipality of Dolakha District in the Bagmati Province of north-eastern Nepal. Formally it was a Village Development Committee of Dolakha District. Sunkhani consists of two ward (7 and 8) ...
*
Sundrawati
Sundrawati is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
* Suri
*
Susma Chhemawati
Suspa Kshemawati is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bur ...
*
Syama
Syama is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stat ...
*
Thulopatal
Thulopatal is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of ...
, now Jiri Mun.
Gallery
File:Charikot.jpg, Near Charikot
Bhimeshwar, (formerly ''Charikot''), is a municipality in north-eastern Nepal and the headquarters of Dolakha District in Bagmati Province that was established in 1997 by merging the former Village development committees Charikot, Dolakha Town, ...
File:Dolakha bhimsen Temple.jpg, Dolakha Bhimsen Temple
File:कालिन्चोक कुरी.jpg, Kalinchowk
File:जिरी बजार नेपाल.jpg, Jiri
File:Khari dhunga Dolakha Nepal.JPG, Khari dhunga Dolakha Nepal
File:Himalayan range GAURISHANKAR.JPG, Himalayan range GAURISHANKAR
Gaurishankar (also Gauri Sankar or Gauri Shankar; Nepali : ; Sherpa: Jomo Tseringma;) is a mountain in the Nepal Himalayas, the second highest peak of the Rolwaling Himal, behind Melungtse (7,181m). The name comes from the Hindu goddess Gauri, ...
File:Sunder dryshe charikot.JPG, View
See also
*
Zones of Nepal
Until the establishment of seven new provinces in 2015, Nepal was divided into 14 administrative zones ( Nepali: अञ्चल; ''anchal'') and 77 districts ( Nepali: जिल्ला; ''jillā''). The 14 administrative zones were grouped ...
*
Dolakha Newar Language
Dolakha Newar ( endonym Dwālkhā Nepal Bhasa), or Eastern Newar, is a divergent dialect of the Newar language (''Nepal Bhasa'') spoken in Dolakha District, east of the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, by 5,645 Newar people as of 1988. Some speakers ...
*
Thangmi language
Thangmi, also called Thāmī, Thangmi Kham, Thangmi Wakhe, and Thani, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in central-eastern Nepal and northeastern India by the Thami people. The Thami refer to their language as ''Thangmi Kham'' or ''Thangmi Wakhe' ...
Informative page about Dolakha
References
*
{{Coord, 27, 40, N, 86, 2, E, type:adm2nd_region:NP_source:enwiki, display=title
Districts of Nepal established in 1962
Districts of Bagmati Province