Gotikhel is a
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
and former
Village Development Committee that is now part of
Mahankal Rural Municipality
Mahankal Rural Municipality ne, महाङ्काल गाउँपालिका, is a Rural Municipality in Lalitpur District in Bagmati Province of Nepal that was established in 2017 by merging the former Village development committees ...
in
Province No. 3
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 ...
of central
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. At the time of the
1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics.
Working with Nepal's Village Development Committees at a district level,
they recorded data from all the main towns and villages of each ...
it had a population of 1654 living in 323 individual households.
To Promote local culture Gotikhel has one FM radio station Radio Lalitpur - 100.9 MHz Which is a
Community radio
Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popular ...
Station.
Gotikhel is located in southern Lalitpur, in the Kathmandu Valley, and lies 42 kilometres from the capital. The main town of Gotikhel is at the base of a valley, surrounded by mountains on all sides. Gotikhel is one of five wards which make up the Mahankal Rural Municipality. The local Municipality offices are also based here, including the Executive Office, the Forestry Office and the Surveying Office etc.
The area is well known for its many important and unique religious sites. The Baitadi Dhaam Hindu Temple is of particular significance, and receives over 200 visitors from elsewhere in the Valley every Saturday, and many more during Hindu festivals.
Gotikhel is surrounded by stunning scenery and is an ideal place to go hiking. With 3 rivers flowing through it, there are picturesque trails along the base of the Valley, and additionally there are trails of varying difficulty through the mountain areas. One such trek is up to the Kalaswor Temple at the peak of a nearby mountain, and can be reached on foot in under 2 hours. There are several existing guest houses and homestays offering tourists a base from which to explore the local area.
The main source of employment is in agriculture, with many fields growing vegetables such as peas, potatoes and cauliflower. Additionally, there are tea farms and a green tea factory opened in Gotikhel in 2018.
In the market area of Gotikhel, one can find many tea shops and restaurants, offering a variety of Nepali dishes. The local seamstresses offer local tailor-made clothing in traditional richly coloured fabrics and present a cheaper alternative to clothing in Kathmandu.
There is public transport to Gotikhel from Kathmandu, and the bus takes approximately 3 hours. The journey traverses the Valley and offers incredible views from start to finish, providing an incredible opportunity to see rural Nepal.
References
External links
UN map of the municipalities of Lalitpur District
Populated places in Lalitpur District, Nepal
{{LalitpurNP-geo-stub