Parsa District, a significant part of Province No. 2 in the Terai plain, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. With Birgunj as its district headquarters, the district covers an area of 1,353 km2 (522 sq mi) and had an overall population (2001) of 497,219. Locals say that Parsa is named after the Parsagadhi temple in the district.
How did Parsa get its name?
Locals say that the district's name comes from the Parsagadhi fort, where Nepali Gorkhali soldiers beat British troops.
Birgung
Birgunj is a metropolitan city in Nepal's Province No. 2's Parsa District. It is located 135 kilometres (84 miles) south of Kathmandu and is bordered to the north by Raxaul in the Indian state of Bihar.
Birgunj is known as the "Gateway to Nepal" because it serves as an entry point to Nepal from Patna and Kolkata. It is also known as Nepal's "Commercial Capital." The town is vital to Nepal's economy because much of the country's trade with India passes through Birgunj and the Indian village of Raxaul. Birgunj is connected to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, by the Tribhuvan Highway.
Birgunj was one of Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana's first three municipalities to be created. Along with Biratnagar and Pokhara, it was designated as a Metropolitan City on May 22, 2017. Birgunj is one of Nepal's largest cities, as well as the largest in Province 2. Birgunj is the country's sixth most populous metropolis.
How did Birgunj get its name?
Birgunj grew up around Gahawa Mai Temple as a conglomeration of many villages. Gahawa Mai Temple is now the town's focal point. The settlement was given the name Birgunj in honour of Rana Prime Minister Bir Shamsher.
History of Birgunj
Prior to the founding of Birgunj, the Parsa district's main centre was Alau (near Dry port), Nepal. In July 1959, Sugauli King Rajendra Bikram Shah founded a military camp in the Parsa district of Alau.
Birgunj, formerly known as Gahawa, was established in 1897 by 11th Rana Prime Minister Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana. The nearby villages of Baghi, Alau, Kalaiya, Barewa, Inaruwa, Prasauni, and Chhapkaiya existed prior to the establishment of Birgunj Bazar.
Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana appointed his trusted duo Siddhvir Mathema and Dhadjavir Mathema (two brothers) as rulers of Mal Ada and Kath Mal Ada, respectively in Birgunj, to create Birgunj Bazar in a forest-covered field. In this regard, Siddhvir Mathema distributed free land and timber to homeowners in Birgunj and cash assistance. Siddhvir Mathema had to pay the death penalty as a result of the act.
Dev Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana became Prime Minister after Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana died. Still, Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana overthrew Dev Shamsher and became Prime Minister himself within three months. Chandra Shamsher Rana was despised by the people of Late Bir Shamsher Rana and Dev Shamsher Rana.
Siddhivir Mathema, a special aide to Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, was accused of inspecting a reservoir treaty and drawing three lakh irregularities on his forehead. Siddhivir was declared invalid when he showed the calculations he had used to set up Birganj Bazar, and an order was issued to pay the money right away.
After stating that he could not pay for what he had done, the signboard was slapped on his chest and carried around the market as a punishment. It was decided to cut off and kill the verbal verdict of the death sentence.
It was determined to break off and terminate the verbal judgement of the death penalty. After learning of Mathema's death sentence, Late Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana's wife paid 3 lakh and saved Mathema from the death penalty. Mathema worked day and night without eating to establish Birgunj Bazar.
Chandra Shamsher also desired to dethrone Birgunj Bazar, which his brother had created. He intended to relocate the Birgunj bazaar from there to Rautahat. In 1959, it raided the primary market from Raxaul to Birgunj and expanded the rail line service to Amalekhganj in an attempt to displace the market.
Thanks to the connection, the train used to run through the streets, exploding and terrorizing the inhabitants. The rail connection was later relocated to the east of the sector (outside the market). The Indian city of Raxaul, which is currently linked to Birgunj as Nepal's main gateway, was not established. Indian trains only ran before Sugauli at the time.
Tourism in Parsa District
Birgunj in Parsa district in Nepal's only entry point. As a result, Indians flock to the city in large numbers.
Ghadiarwa Pokhari is visited by a large number of people from all over the world during the Chhath festival. Vishwa Buddha Vihar is a temple on the city's outskirts. Vishwa is shaped like a stupa, with Buddha carvings facing the four cardinal directions of the world.
This location has a peaceful ambience that draws visitors looking to get away from the city's hustle and bustle. The name Vishwa is derived from the word vicchu-wa, which can be translated as a resting place for vicchu(s) or Buddhist monks. Pilgrims used to stop at Birgunj in the middle of their journey between Lumbini and Bodh Gaya in ancient times (India).
The mound is surrounded by a boundary wall and possible excavations that reveal information about Birgunj's origins and its significance to Buddhism 2,500 years ago.
Credit:tigerencounter.com
Parsa National Park, located 33 kilometres (21 miles) from the capital, is home to Royal Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris Tigris), One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), Common Leopard (Panthera pardus), and other mammals, birds, and reptiles. A one-hour bus ride from the city will take you to the park.
Culture of Parsa District
In Parsa, main festivals include Ganesh Chaturthi, Teej, Holi, Maha Shivaratri, Krishna Janmasthami, Chhath, Durgapuja, and Dipawali. Buddhists make up a small percentage of Parsa's religious plurality.
People of Madheshi origin make up the majority of the population, which includes people from various castes. Hindu families include Kurmi, Yadav, Gupta, Shah, Sah, Sarraf, Singh, Rauniyar, Mahato, Patel, and others. Marwari people, who migrated from Rajasthan, are also present.