Country Nepal Time zone NPT (UTC+5:45) Area 1,507 km² | Headquarters Bhojpur Website www.ddcbhojpur.gov.np Zone Kosi Zone | |
 | ||
Region Eastern Development Region, Nepal | ||
Bhojpur District (Nepali: भोजपुर जिल्ला Listen ) is in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. The district's area is 1,507 km² with a population of 182,459 (2011). The administrative center is Bhojpur.
Contents
Map of Bhojpur, Nepal
History
Classified as a Hill District, Bhojpur actually spans five of Nepal's eight climate zones. 3% of the district's area is below 300 meters elevation in the Lower Tropical zone and 31% is Upper Tropical from 300 to 1,000 meters. 50% of the land area belongs to the Subtropical Zone between 1,000 and 2,000 meters and 15% is Temperate (2,000 to 3,000 meters). 2% rises higher into the Subalpine Zone.
Traditionally, the inhabitants of this area have been the indigenous Rai ethnic group; the Newar ethnic group being the main people in the Bhojpur town. Bhojpur forms part of Majh Kirat/Kirant (Middle Kirat). It is one of the richest districts in Nepal in biodiversity.
In the northern part of this district lies the beautiful small city of Dingla. Various hill castes, Brahmin (bahun in Nepali), Kshetriya (Chhettri in Nepali), and ethnic groups like Rai reside within this beautiful area. This is the place where rudraksha trees grow naturally in the forest as well as individually on people's land. The religious leader, women's rights activist and poet Yogmaya Neupane was born in 1860 in Dingla.
Champe is the other small town where people from surrounding villages come and sell their products. This happens every 15 days and is called Hatiya.
Balankha (Walangkha) is one of the growing towns in the southwest area of Bhojpur. Another town Ghoretar, southeast of Bhojpur, has been a center point of trade, education and administration for a long time. It is famous as Hatuwa Gadi "a powerful fort of Kirat king Sunahang" in Kirat history.
Balankha borders with neighboring Khotang district's Bopung village. Balankha is slowly emerging as another hub of education, communication, health and trade. The most distinctive thing about Balankha is its famous Chhongkha Sakela celebration. It is the Kirat Rai festival when Rais go to 'Sakewa Than' at Dammarkhu village of Khotang (across the river Buwa Khola), pray for good harvest and rain. Then they flock back to the open space of Chandi bazar to dance and celebrate with great joy.
2015 Nepal earthquake
The district was affected by an earthquake on 25 April 2015.