Syangja District

Syangja District (Nepali: स्याङ्जा जिल्ला; Listenⓘ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Syangja bazaar (a small town) as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,164 km2 (449 sq mi) and had a population of 289,148[1] It lies in the hilly region at an altitude ranging from about 300 meters along the banks of Kaligandaki river up to a couple of thousands meters above the sea level. It lies at about latitude 28°4'60 North and longitude 83°52'0 East.

स्याङ्जा
Syangja

Syangja District
स्याङ्जा
District
Aerial view of mountain near Biruwa
Aerial view of mountain near Biruwa
Location of Syangja (dark yellow) in Gandaki Province
Location of Syangja (dark yellow) in Gandaki Province
Division of Syangja
Country   Nepal
ProvinceGandaki Province
Admin HQ.Putalibazar Largest and most developed city Waling
Government
 • TypeCoordination committee
 • BodyDCC, Syangja
Area
 • Total1,164 km2 (449 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total289,148
 • Density250/km2 (640/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+05:45 (NPT)
Telephone Code063
Main Language(s)Magar, Newari
Websiteddcsyangja.gov.np

The district now has five municipalities Waling, Putalibazar, Chapakot, Bhirkot and Galyang and six rural municipalities Aandhikhola, Arjun Chaupari, Biruwa, Phedikhola, Harinas and Kaligandaki[2]

Syangja in 1994 under the auspices of the South Asia Poverty Alleviation Program (SAPAP) of the UNDP, received million of dollars of international investment and has become a model for national development. Syangja's model has proved so successful that the Government of Nepal joined forces with the SAPAP to extend the project to other districts and make it a model for national development. It has been initiated or implemented in at least 200 Village Development Councils (VDC/s) of 45 districts of Nepal.

People of many ethnicities live in this district. The major groups are Brahmin, Chetri, Gurung and Magar.

Kali Gandaki A Hydropower is the largest hydropower plant of the nation located on the Kali Gandaki river in Kaligandaki Gaunpalika. It has the maximum plant capacity of 144 MW. Largest and developed city Waling

People and places

Many different ethnicity of people live in this district. The major groups consisting of Brahmin, Kshetri, Gurung, Magar and others. Brahmin and Chhetri (Kshetriya) are renowned by their representation in the governmental jobs and Indian army respectively. Gurungs and Magars are known for their involvement in British Army Gurkhas and Military of India. There is a popular saying that "when you go to Syangja and hit randomly a house with a stone that house surely belongs to Section-Officer".

The headquarters of Syanga district lies at Syangja bazaar. Some places of historical interest in this district are Satahun Chandi, Manakamana, Bhirkot Durbar, Alamdevi, Gahraukalika, Nuwakot Durbar, Chhangchhangdi and Ridi Ruru Kshetra on the banks of Kaligandaki river. Chhangchhangdi (Chaya-kshetra) is mentioned in the Swasthani Vrata-Katha, considered to be a part of the Skanda Purana, as the place where the last organ of dead Satidevi fell when she was being carried by Lord Shiva. Among the three municipalities, Putalibazar municipality lies in the eastern side whereas Waling municipality in the western Syangja, the newly formed Chapakot municipality is on the east-south. Waling is a longitudinal valley along the banks of the Aandhikhola river. According to one folk legend, Aandhikhola river is believed to be originated from the tears of Shravan of the Ramayana. The largest valley in Syangja is Ramkosh. There are places to hike including Chandithaan which is Devi temple and Hunikot a viewpoint over Putalibazar.

Political division

Syangja district has 11 local units among them five are municipalities (Nagarpalika) and six rural municipalities (guanpalika) recently with the formulation of new constitution and provincial division of the country.

  1. Galyang Municipality
  2. Chapakot Municipality
  3. Putalibazar Municipality
  4. Bheerkot Municipality
  5. Waling Municipality
  6. Arjun Chaupari Rural Municipality
  7. Aandhikhola Rural Municipality
  8. Kaligandaki Rural Municipality
  9. Phedikhola Rural Municipality
  10. Harinas Rural Municipality
  11. Biruwa Rural Municipality

Former Village Development Committees and municipalities
Map of the VDCs in Syangja District

Municipalities

Road connection

Syangja was connected to Pokhara and Bhairahawa, two of the most prominent cities of Western Nepal, after the construction of the Siddhartha Highway. The highway enters this district in the North from Kubhinde and leaves in the South to Ramdi of Palpa district.

Hydroelectricity

The Kaligandaki A Hydroelectric Power Station built on the Kali Gandaki River is the largest hydroelectric project in Nepal, with an installed capacity of 144 MW. Besides the Kaligandaki A, Aadhikhola hydroelectric and some other, smaller, hydroelectric projects have been started in this district.

Of all the districts in Nepal, Syangja is one of the few districts in the country that does not suffer from the problem of loadshedding, or scheduled electric outages, while the nation suffers hours of loadshedding each day.[3]

Geography and climate
Climate Zone[4] Elevation range  % of Area
Upper Tropical 300 to 1,000 meters
1,000 to 3,300 ft.		 53.6%
Subtropical 1,000 to 2,000 meters
3,300 to 6,600 ft.		 45.3%

Demographics
Historical population
Census yearPop.±% p.a.
1981 271,824—    
1991 293,526+0.77%
2001 317,320+0.78%
2011 289,148−0.93%
2021 254,965−1.25%
Source: Citypopulation[5]

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Syangja District had a population of 289,148.

As first language, 74.4% spoke Nepali, 15.1% Magar, 7.8% Gurung, 1.7% Newari, 0.3% Urdu, 0.2% Bhujel, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Maithili and 0.1% other languages as their first language.[6]

Ethnicity/caste: 30.9% were Hill Brahmin, 21.5% Magar, 11.5% Chhetri, 9.0% Gurung, 8.0% Kami, 4.0% Sarki, 3.7% Damai/Dholi, 3.3% Newar, 2.5% Thakuri, 2.4% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.7% Musalman, 0.6% Kumal, 0.6% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.3% Majhi, 0.2% Khawas, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Bote, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% other Terai, 0.1% Tharu and 0.2% others.[7]

Religion: 90.2% were Hindu, 7.4% Buddhist, 1.3% Bon, 0.7% Muslim, 0.2% Christian and 0.2% others.[8]

Literacy: 76.5% could read and write, 1.6% could only read and 21.8% could neither read nor write.[9]

Religions in Syangja
Religion Percent
Hinduism
 
 86.07%
Buddhism
 
 13.27%
Islam
 
 0.58%
Christianity
 
 0.07%
Jain
 
 0.01%
Distribution of religions
†Includes Others (0.08%).

2015 Nepal earthquake

The district was affected by an earthquake on 25 April 2015. At least one house was destroyed.[10]

References
  1. "National Population and Housing Census 2011(National Report)" (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics. Government of Nepal. November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  2. "Which local units are you in?". Seto Pati. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  3. "Syangja village freed of load shedding". Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  4. The Map of Potential Vegetation of Nepal - a forestry/agroecological/biodiversity classification system (PDF). Forest & Landscape Development and Environment Series 2-2005 and CFC-TIS Document Series No.110. 2005. ISBN 87-7903-210-9. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  5. "NEPAL: Administrative Division". www.citypopulation.de.
  6. NepalMap Language
  7. NepalMap Caste
  8. NepalMap Religion
  9. NepalMap Literacy
  10. "Tricity Nepalese collect funds, relief material". nyoooz. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 1 May 2015.
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