Devghat
Encyclopedia
Devghat is a town located at the junction of the Sapta Gandaki and Krishna Gandaki rivers in Central Nepal
, and is one of the holiest places in Hindu mythology
as well as a holy place for Hindu gods. Lying 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the city of Narayangarh
, 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Sauraha
and 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) southwest of the capital Kathmandu, the area boasts many natural features due to its geography and climate including tropical forests, wild animals and birds.
's cave, Bashistha Cave, Radha Krishna Temple, Galeshwor Temple, Sita Ram Temple, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Shankaracharya Temple, Bageshori Temple, Laxmi Narayan Divya Dham, Maula Kalika Temple, and Bishwa Shanti Dharmashala among others. Mahesh Sanyas, Hari Hara, Sharana Gati, Galeshwor, Radha Sarbeshwor Bhajan and Yogi Narahari Nath are ashram
s where various religious activities are performed all year round. In Makar Sankranti, huge mela
s (gatherings) are observed each year making it one of the largest religious melas in Nepal. The date when this festival started remains unknown. Hindu pilgrims bathe at the junction of the Krishna Gandaki river well-known for its rare Saligram Sheela (holy stone), which Hindu devotees worship as Lord Vishnu
which are in India.
health station, part of Bharatpur medical college, the guest house of B P Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital etc. Volunteers from various health organizations provide free health check up camps on a regular basis. A historic suspension bridge connects the Tanahun and Chitwan districts of the town.
The government of Nepal has established the Devghat Area Development Committee for the integrated development of this area while the non-resident Nepalese Association has established a project to construct 200 retirement homes in the Chitwan district of the town.
A proposed Saptagandaki hydropower plant is in the pipeline for construction. It is expected that living standards in the area will improve if the project goes ahead.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and is one of the holiest places in Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
as well as a holy place for Hindu gods. Lying 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the city of Narayangarh
Narayangarh
Narayangarh is a part of the city of Bharatpur in Chitwan District in the central part of Nepal, 146 km due west of Kathmandu, and 136 km from Pokhara, at the Narayani River where it leaves the Mahabharat Range. It has about 71,000 inhabitants out of 225,000 of whole Bharatpur city, and...
, 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Sauraha
Sauraha
Sauraha is a village in Chitwan District of Nepal situated close by the Rapti River and the Chitwan National Park. It is the eastern gateway to Chitwan National Park and jungle safaris for budget, mid-priced and 3-4 star tourists...
and 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) southwest of the capital Kathmandu, the area boasts many natural features due to its geography and climate including tropical forests, wild animals and birds.
Transportation
A bus service is available from the Pokhara bus station in Narayangarh city while private taxies and cars can be hired in the city.Religious sites
Dev ghat is home to various temples and caves of Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints including Goddess SitaSITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
's cave, Bashistha Cave, Radha Krishna Temple, Galeshwor Temple, Sita Ram Temple, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Shankaracharya Temple, Bageshori Temple, Laxmi Narayan Divya Dham, Maula Kalika Temple, and Bishwa Shanti Dharmashala among others. Mahesh Sanyas, Hari Hara, Sharana Gati, Galeshwor, Radha Sarbeshwor Bhajan and Yogi Narahari Nath are ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
s where various religious activities are performed all year round. In Makar Sankranti, huge mela
Mela
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were of great importance...
s (gatherings) are observed each year making it one of the largest religious melas in Nepal. The date when this festival started remains unknown. Hindu pilgrims bathe at the junction of the Krishna Gandaki river well-known for its rare Saligram Sheela (holy stone), which Hindu devotees worship as Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
which are in India.
Modern development
Devghat is in a modern transitional stage of development. It has three high schools, one post-graduate college, three retirement home projects, one ayurvedicAyurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
health station, part of Bharatpur medical college, the guest house of B P Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital etc. Volunteers from various health organizations provide free health check up camps on a regular basis. A historic suspension bridge connects the Tanahun and Chitwan districts of the town.
The government of Nepal has established the Devghat Area Development Committee for the integrated development of this area while the non-resident Nepalese Association has established a project to construct 200 retirement homes in the Chitwan district of the town.
A proposed Saptagandaki hydropower plant is in the pipeline for construction. It is expected that living standards in the area will improve if the project goes ahead.
Notable people
Education
- Mahesh Sanskrit Gurkul bidyspeeth (Mahabidhyalaya): Post-graduate college affiliated with Nepal Sanskrit University founded by Swami Dr Ramananda Giri, a renowned Hindu pandit and social worker. Various Sanskrit specialties are taught in this boarding institution.
- Sita Ram Sanskrit Secondary School: Established in 1979 in the Chitwan district of Devghat it has its own free hostel facility. Students are offered scholarships if they do well in the examinations.
- Ramananda Gurukulam: Established by the late Dilliram Baba. Genuine students are offered free education, residence and food on a boarding basis.
- Galeshwar Gurukul Ashram: Established by the late Galeshwar Baba in the Tanahun district of Deavghat.
- Kalika Secondary School: Located in the Tanahun district.
- Sharanagati Gurukul Ashram: Founded by Acharya Keshavsharan.
Health care
- Devghat Ayurveda Health Post: Located in the Chitwan district, it is the oldest health post in this area providing both traditional and ayurvedic modes of treatment to local people.
- College of Medical Sciences Bharatpur Chitwan Rural Health Program: Regular healthcheck ups and medicine distribution are conducted by the Indian funded College of Medical Sciences, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
- Aatmananda Giri Dharmartha Hospital: This is a proposed hospital to be built by religious personality Aatmananda Giri.
Retirement homes
- Devghat Development Committee operated Old Age Home: The oldest retirement home in this area run by a state owned organization with a capacity of around 150 beds.
- Rotary International operated Old Age Home: Located in the Chitwan district.
- NRN Briddhashram: Currently under construction by the Non-Resident Nepalese Association to have a 200-bed capacity.