If visitors are wondering which place in this kingdom would give them a taste of everything, we suggest that they give Tansen a try. Tansen is a small town of approximately twenty thousand people. It is on the way from Pokhara to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and it is not too far from the Royal Chitwan National Park.

Located 4,300 meters above sea level, on the south flank of Srinagar Hill, the greatest attractions of this town are its ancient culture, friendly people, excellent mountain views, and, above all, its serene atmosphere. The weather remains moderate throughout the year, and it is a pleasant place to visit in any season.

The town's mostly Newar and Magar inhabitants have long been known as staunch warriors. The kings of Tansen wielded great power over western Nepal in the fifteenth century. Palpa, their kingdom was the last to be defeated by the conquering Gurkhas who unified today's Nepal. These people became even more famous in the Anglo-Nepal war of the early 1800s. Col. Ujir Singh Thapa who commanded the army in the region was in an extremely trying situation at the time. His men were outnumbered four to one by the English forces. He desperately asked for divine help before going into battle, promising a temple in the name of Goddess Bhagwati (who is ferocious and loves blood sacrifices) if she would help him. He won. In 1815, he kept his word and built a temple to the goddess. However, fighting is not the only forte of Tansen residents.

The jamre folk song performance of the Magars are colorful. Dancing and feasting are accompanied by drumbeats of the madal during festivals. Amar Singh Thapa, another great champion of the Anglo-Nepal war, had great affinity for Tansen as well. He brought highly skilled artisans from Kathmandu Valley to build the Amar Narayan temple when he was the governor of the town. The temple's woodcarvings are remarkable and puja is offered here everyday to Lord Bishnu.

During the time of the Rana prime Ministers, from 1846 to 1951, Tansen became an important outpost. Those who offended the administration or were political prisoners were sent away from the Kathmandu Valley beyond Tansen. It was thought that they would not be able to cause problems to the rulers from their faraway exiles. Later the Ranas tried to develop Tansen into a hill-station and built palaces and mansions for personal use. One such palace in the heart of the town has a huge door called the Baggi Dhoka. Some say that it was built so that Khadga Shumsher Rana would not need to get off' his elephant while entering the palace. Others claim that it was built so that horse drawn chariots could easily enter the palace grounds. The town's intricately patterned dhaka is the most popular handwoven cloth of Nepal. Newar women of the Kathmandu Valley have preferred its shawls for many decades. Nepal's national cap, the topi, is also made of dhaka. Dhaka is available to buyers at the town's bazaars. Those interested may also see weavers at work on their looms.

There are potters and metal workers in Tansen too. Earthen pottery is still used in many houses of Tansen. Jugs, basins, and even filters are made from clay for local use. Chang, the local liquor, is wonderfully cool if it has been stored in earthen-ware. Metal workers make deep plates, karuwa water jugs, utensils for worship and hookahs for smoking.

Tansen is charming because it is unspoiled by modernity, pollution and urban bustle. On clear days, mountain views from the town reveal Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Gauri Shankar and other peaks and a walk up to Srinagar Hill provides an even more thrilling Himalayan panorama.

Access
Tansen is in Palpa district, Lumbini zone. Tansen is approximately 296 kilometers and about 10-hour drive from Kathmandu via Butwal. It is approximately 324 kilometers from Kathmandu via Pokhara. Buses to Tansen ply from the Central Bus Station, Gongabu, in Kathmandu. It is also possible to take a flight to either Pokhara or Bhairawa from where Tansen is approximately 3 to 4- hour drive. It can be entered from India via Bhairahawa.

Accommodation
Good to moderate accommodation facilities are available in Tansen. There are also modern restaurants here that serve excellent Nepali and some even continental cuisines. Other tourist facilities are also available in Tansen Bazaar.

When to Visit
Tansen can be visited at any time of the year. While the climate of Palpa varies from tropical to moderate, Tansen is moderate to warm and lies between 28-degree Celsius as the maximum during summer and 8-degree Celsius minimum in the winter. The months of June and July have maximum rain.

Predominant Culture
Palpa has diverse culture and religion. It falls in the twelve Magar regions of West Nepal. Therefore, there are still predominant Magar settlements in some parts of Palpa district. Other inhabitants of Palpa are Brahmin, Chhetri, Newars, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Maithili, Tamang, Limbi and Abadhi.

PLACES TO VISIT
Shrinagar Hill
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
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. The 7-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
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:
Madan Pokhara is a highly prosperous village near Tansen. This beautiful valley 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
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
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 the palace can still be seen in Arghali. Other nearby places to visit is Rishikesh, Gayatri and Devisthan, the popular temples of Arghali. A village of mountains, forests and farmlands, Arghali is situated close to the rivers Kaligandaki and Ridi. It is 38 Kilometers from Tansen.

Satyawati Lake
Satyawati Lake at 1,400 meters takes its name from Goddess Satyawati from the Hindu mythology and is a popular pilgrimage site in the area. It is equally attractive for other tourists considering that the trek is a enjoyable and the destination worth visit. Migratory birds can be seen here sometimes of the year. One can enjoy beautiful views of Himalayas on the way to the lake. The trek starts at Siddhartha Highway, about 19 kilometers from Tansen, from where it takes about 2-hour trek uphill to reach Lake Satyawati.

Deule Archale
Deule Archale is believed to be a holy pond. Pilgrims come to this place to take a holy dip on festivals.There are several temples here. Siddheshwar Gupha (the cave) is a popular pilgrim spot at Siddeshor VDC on the bank of Ridi Khola. There are also temples of Radha Krishna and Bhagabati. To reach Deule Archale, one can go to Ridi from where it takes 3 hours. However, a trail from Harthok is a more conventional route from Tansen.

Chilangdi
Chilangdi a typical Magar village offers cultural taste of the area. The people of Chilangdi are simple and have a charming lifestyle. Singing and dancing are the main part their lives. They speak Tibeto-Burman language. Chilangdi is situated at the southern lap of Shrinagar Hills.