SATV Kathmandu , May 23: Surrounded by white snowcapped mountains, with the Marsyangdi and Khudi rivers flowing down the valley below, and lush green pastures and forests blooming with colourful flowers, Harsing Danda (hill) is turning into a truly beautiful place.
Located in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-3 of Lamjung, Harsing Danda, where national hero Bir Bhakti Thapa once herded cattle in his childhood, is now developing into a tourist destination. As domestic tourists have begun visiting Harsing Danda for travel and overnight stays, the area is gaining recognition as a tourism hotspot.
According to local tourism entrepreneur Purna Bahadur Gurung, where once the area remained almost deserted, now 40 to 100 tourists visit daily. “Although it remained in the shadows for a long time, these days tourists come to explore and stay overnight. With improvements in the road conditions, we expect the number of visitors to gradually increase,” Gurung said.
After four young men collaborated to develop infrastructure for food and lodging, visiting Harsing Danda has become more convenient for tourists. Situated along the Annapurna trekking route, the locally-run ‘Harsing Community Camp Site’ offers organic food and snacks to visitors.
From this point, one can see many of the tourist villages within Marsyangdi Rural Municipality, including Siurung, Dhunge, Bhusme and Ghanpokhara. One can also enjoy views of South Asia’s model village Ghalegaun, Kalme Danda, Besisahar Bazaar, the meandering Marsyangdi River, Dr. Harka Peak, the Manaslu Range, Buddha Himal and even Bandipur Hill in Tanahun, according to tourism entrepreneurs. The cost for food and lodging here is around Rs. 1,000 per person per night.
Situated at an elevation of 2,284 metres above sea level, Harsing Danda can be reached via a roughly 20-kilometre journey from Besisahar through Khudi and Dhunge.
Constituent Assembly member Jamindra Man Ghale said that if all three levels of government focused on development in the area, tourism activities in Harsing Danda would grow significantly.
Bir Bhakti Thapa, born in 1802 BS in Dhungebesi of Khudi, once herded cattle in Harsing Danda. Historical sites related to him include places where he built sheds, cooked food, and herded animals.
According to Marsyangdi Rural Municipality Chairperson Arjun Gurung, the local government is working to develop Harsing Danda as a tourist destination by preserving its historical and cultural value.
Both locals and stakeholders have joined the campaign to conserve and promote Harsing Danda as a historical and tourist site. Prem Bahadur Basnet, Chairperson of the Bir Bhakti Thapa Birthplace Conservation, Promotion and Development Committee, said the area would develop further if support were provided for road and infrastructure construction.
