Tansen is a picturesque hill town lying on the lap of the well-known Shrinagar Hills, headquarters of Palpa district. Tansen is also the hub of Midwest culture of Nepal. The Charming natural setting combines with its rich cultural heritage to give visitors a wholesome holiday.
Tansen offers enchanting walks leading to interesting sites, whether it is a day of traverse around Shrinagar Hills or few-days backpacking along River Kaligandaki. In addition Tansen qualifies as a pilgrim's choice, given its several Hindu temples.
Palpa was the seat of the Sen Kingdom that ruled over this region from 16th century for almost 300 years, which gives it a historical touch. A specialty of the region is the much popular Palpali Dhaka, weaved here. The district varies from 250 to 2000 meters of elevation, while Tansen is situated at 1372 meters. Palpa is also near Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, and the popular city of Pokhara.
Places to Visit
Shrinagar Hill provides excellent views of the Himalayas Annapurna, Dhaulagiri range and the surrounding valley. Tansen Bazaar to the summit of Shrinagar Hill is a short, pleasant hike across forest and passing through several Hindu sites.
Ranighat is adorned by a marvelous building on the banks of River Kaligandaki, built by the -then Rana governor of Palpa, Khadga Shumsher, in memory of his wife Tej Kumari. the7-kilometer trail from Tansen to Ranighat is a steady slope passing through a narrow gorge. There are bird-watching and fishing opportunities on the trekking trail from Tansen to Ranighat.
River Kaligandaki, one of the main tributaries of Gandaki, is regarded sacred by Hindus. The fountainhead of Kaligandaki is at Muktinath in Jomsom. From Muktinath it flows southwards creating the deepest gorge in the world between the famous mountains Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. Tourists can boat, raft in the river or trek along the shore enjoying beautiful landscapes.
There are several holy and historical sites on the banks of Kaligandaki, including the well-known Ranighat. Other popular sites to visit are: Ridi where a historical Rishikesh temple built by the first Palpa King Mukund Sen situated; Ramdighat where religious Hindu ceremonies are held by people in the region; and Achammeshor where a deep gorge cut by River Kaligandaki separates Gulmi and Syangja districts.
Madan Pokhara is a highly prosperous village near Tansen. This beautifulvalley is also culturally rich and has many temples that pilgrims can visit. The poplar temples are Kalanki Devi, Devisthan and Mandabya. Madan Pokhara is linked to Siddartha Highway.
Tanhu is another attractive village with mixed culture and beautiful natural surroundings of mountains, forests and farmlands. One can also see beautiful views of mountains from here. There are also temples of Rambha Devi and Jalpa Devi in Tanhu. It is 32 kilometers from Tansen and can be entered from Siddhartha highway.
Arghali is considered the Banares of Nepal. This is where Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher spent the last days of his life. The remains of he palace can still be seen in Arghali. Other nearby places to visit are Rishikesh, Gayatri and Devisthan, the popular temples of Arghali.
