Best Time: January to April; September to December
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"The Gateway to Mahabharata Hills"
Dharan Tourism
Dharan is a city located near the Southeastern border of India and is a replica of Indian culture and tradition. Dharan is the gateway to the Mahabharat hills and is one of the biggest pilgrimage locations in Nepal. This low-lying hilly region is extremely clean, colourful and culturally diverse as well as a centre for football in Nepal, hence it being called 'mini-Brazil'. Located in the Sunsari District of Eastern Nepal, the city does not have extreme climates, making it a pleasant destination for tourists throughout the year.
Tourists mainly visit this place for its natural beauty as well as take part in activities like golf, hiking to Namche, driving to Bhedetar hill station, picnicking at Raja Rani Lake and visiting places like Tamar Khola, Yalamber Park and Bhanu chowk. A few historical and religious sites to visit in Dharan are Buddhasubba Temple, Pindeshwor Temple, Panchakanya Temple, Shiv Jatta, Vijaypur Hill and Dantakali Temple. Apart from these, there are many local pubs and bars in Dharan, making it a major tourist attraction in Nepal.
Seek Insurance & Stay Alert of Warnings: This region of Nepal is prone to earthquakes and other natural calamities, so it is always good to speak to travel agencies and travel insurance companies before planning a trip.
Have a Travel Buddy Who's Familiar With Dharan: It also helps if you are travelling with someone who knows the area well so that you are never caught unawares in case of an unfortunate natural calamity as the landscape here is pretty rugged.
Culture & Festivals in Dharan
Teej Celebrations in Nepal Source Dharan is called a colourful city with multi-cultural diversity. People living in this city are from Sankhuwasabha, Panchthar, Ilam, Bhojpur, Dhankuta and Taplegung Khotang. This calls for multi-ethnic festivities and activities that are celebrated here all throughout the year.
Dhan Naach, Dhol Naach and Chyabrung Naach are a few dances that are performed in Dharan. A very famous Hindu temple called Pindeswari is located in Dharan where people hundreds of devotees come from all over India and Nepal in order to receive blessings from Lord Shiva. Needless to say, the culture in Dharan is surely multicultural.
Festivals Celebrated in Dharan:
Sangdangragma is also a festival that is dedicated to the goddess of Wealth.
Gai Jatra of Newars
Sakela of Rai
Rodighar of Gurungs
Baalan and Saangini of Brahmin and Chhetris
Selo of Tamangs
Sakela Competition which starts on the Baisakh Sukhla Purnima and goes on for 15 days.
History
Dharan was found around 1580 AD. The city of Bijaypur, located next to Dharan, was founded prior to it. Dharan traces its history to the kingdoms of Limbus during 865 AD. King Mawrong and King Sirijonga were important rulers in this region. This alludes to the lineage and monarchy in Nepal. In terms of the modern era, Dharan’s foundation was laid by the first Prime Minister, Chandra Shamsher in 1902. During this time, Dharan played a very important role in supplying timber to East India Company. Source Later, in 1953, the British Gurkha Recruit Center was opened in this city when people from all over Nepal came in to join the British Gurkhas which led to the influx of population in Dharan. In 1960, Dharan has officially been declared a municipal town. Since then, Dharan has grown into one of the biggest towns, rather cities in Nepal with tourists visiting this place throughout the year.
The nearest airport to Dharan is Biratnagar International Airport. It is around 37 kilometres and an hour and a half away from Dharan. Another close airport is Bhadrapur airport which is around 103 kilometres away from Dharan and takes around 2 hours to reach. Tourists can take a cab or the local bus from the two airports till Dharan. Visitors can also take a bus till the Dharan Bus stop.
Local transport in Dharan
The city centre in Dharan is called the Bhanu Chowk. Buses, minivans, cabs and taxis start from the main Bus Terminus. However, traffic congestion in Dharan is moderate. Hence, it may take time to reach places in this city even though it is not very huge.
The weather in Dharan is not very constant. The temperatures in Dharan are not very extreme, hence the best time to visit Dharan are all year round. In terms of humidity, the place is relatively dry during summer and winter. During the summer, from May to August, the temperatures are high and there is a fair amount of precipitation. Surprisingly, many people visit during this time and the costs of accommodations usually rise. During the fall, the temperatures are similar to the summer season.
Tourists often visit Dharan during the Spring and/or Fall. This is because the dry weather in the plains and hills is comforting for visitors to explore the Ganges. During the summer and fall, the Ganges can be explored since there won’t be much snow. On the contrary, the winter calls for snow-capped mountains that are a delight for trekkers and backpackers. Read More
What is the local food in Dharan?
Dharan is known for its Dal Bhat (steamed rice in a lentil soup), Pork Sekuwa, Pork Dameko, Barbecued Pork, Sargemba and Aalu Nimki. These delicacies are best served at Yangtaru Sekuwa Corner at Bagarkot. Momos, Chowmein and Wai-Wai are very popular dishes found in Dharan.
The nearest airport to Dharan is Biratnagar International Airport. It is around 37 kilometres and an hour and a half away from Dharan. Another close airport is Bhadrapur airport which is around 103 kilometres away from Dharan and takes around 2 hours to reach. Tourists can take a cab or the local bus from the two airports till Dharan. Visitors can also take a bus till the Dharan Bus stop. Read More
What are the things to do in Dharan?
The top things to do in Dharan are Budha Subba Temple , Namaste Falls, Pindeshwor Temple, Namche Bazar, Dantakali Temple, Dharan Clock Tower. You can see all the places to visit in Dharan here
What are the places near Dharan?
The top places near to Dharan are Janakpur which is 133 km from Dharan, Kathmandu which is located 219 km from Dharan, Pokhara which is located 361 km from Dharan, Nagarkot which is located 203 km from Dharan, Lumbini which is located 386 km from Dharan
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