(For more pictures click Bhojpur...)
In
Bhojpur district the inhabitants have been the
indigenous Newar ethnic group. Bhojpur forms part of Majh Kirat / Kirant (Middle Kirat). It is one of the richest districts in Nepal in
biodiversity. To 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 are grown naturally in the forest as well as individually on people's land. 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 Chandi celebration. It is the Kirat Rai festival when Rais go to '
Chandi 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, there they dance and celebrate with great joy.
Bhojpur bazaar is home to many
skilled Newar craftsmen, and is famous for its metalwork, particularly
khukuri knives. Other major towns in the district include Dingla to the north,
Ghoretar to the south, and Taksar near the airstrip, from where flights connect to Biratnagar and Kathmandu. A road is currently under construction to link Bhojpur bazaar with Hile, Dhankuta, Dharan, and the rest of Nepal's North-South Koshi Highway.
Historically it is a part of Majh Kirant/Kirat (middle Kirat), and used to be called "east number 4". Middle Kirat consists mainly of Bhojpur and Khotang districts, the traditional home of kirat Rai people, an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal. In addition to Rais, other ethnic groups include Magars, Gurungs, and Tamangs, as well as castes like Chhetris, Bahuns, and Dalits.
Chhinamakhu is a hill village in Bhojpur. The highest elevation of the village is
Merung (2999 masl) and lowest is
Yangtang-Pikhuwa river meeting point (1000 masl). It lays in an anti-pyramid shape in between Yangtang river in the South,
Hingkhuwa in the North and
Pikhuwa in the East. This is an east-facing beautiful typical Nepali hill village rich in sub-tropical to temperate flora and fauna.
