RAJARANI DHIMAL POKHARI

RAJARANI DHIMAL POKHARI BHOGATENI -8 , MORANG

RAJARANI DHIMAL POKHARI BHOGATENI -8 , MORANG

"The identity of the Dhimal evolution,
The respect of religion and culture.
Bow to Satya Raja and Satya Rani
The glory of Sunakhori flowers"
Publisher :1. Rajarani Dhimal Pokhari Conservation Committee, Bhogateni-8
2. Dhimal Caste Development Center,Nepal. Urlabari-6, Morang
3. Rajarani Community Forest Conservation Committee, Bhogateni-8
4. Bhogateni Village Development Committee, Bhogateni

1. Rajarani Dhimal Pond: An IdentityThe Rajarani Dhimal Pond is one of the eastern tourist centers, religious and historical place of Nepal. It is located north-west of Letang, at Dhimal Danda covering with evergreen forests and gift of nature beauty scenery places. It is situated at Bhogateni Village Development Committee ward No.8 in Morang district of Nepal. It is in distance of 46 kilometers north from the headquarter of Morang district, 16 kilometers north from the west-east highway from Belbari Market, 14 kilometers north from Kanepokhari of Bayarban VDC as well. There are so many folklores and sayings about Rajarani, even though Dhimal Community people accept it as the origin land of the Dhimal Tribes and sacred place of the Dhimal. The first largest and social identified organization of the Dhimal named Dhimal Caste Development Center, Nepal also accepts it the origin and historical place of the Dhimal from where the ancestors of the Dhimal moved hither and thither from on. At this recent time, the new generation of the Dhimal have identified the ancestral land and established a Gramthan(the worshipping place of the Dhimal) and continued worship at Rajarani Dhimal Pokhari at Dhimal Danda.The start of Dhimal Sirjat and Jatrimela are done from the worship at Rajarani Dhimal Gramthan.Then Dhimal Fairs start in different villages of Dhimal Communities in Morang and Jhapa districts.

2. Physical Geography :The Rajarani Dhimal Pond is in fresh, airy and open mesmerized place. Letang and Yangshila VDC lie to the east. Kerabari, Ramite and Pati VDCs are to the west. Ramite and Yangshila VDCs are to the north and Letang and Kerabari VDCs are to the south. There are three demolished and uncared traditional ponds waiting to be renovated as they were before. Among those three being stretched north-south, the west one is Dhimal Raja Pokhari(king's pond), east is Dhimal Rani Pokhari(queen's pond) and on the lap of the two stretched east-south small pond is Dhimal Rajkumari Pokhari(princess' pond). These three ponds have covered 40 hectares land. The depth of the Raja and Rani ponds have not been measured yet formally. According to the old peoples, the depth of these ponds is as the level of the Chisang River that is flowing to the east of the hill concerned. But no proofs have been found till the date. The level of these ponds from the river is about 500 meters in height.

3.Features :· Highest altitude situated pond of eastern Terai, never drying, water being emerged from the underground soil,
· Tourist center, covered with the evergreen forests and full of scenes/ sight views,
· Appropriate climate for visitors in all the seasons,
· 47 types of Sunakhori flowers available,
· 80 types of Sunakhori flowers available around the ponds and in the forests. The worldly disappearing three types of Sunakhori flowers availed over the place,
· Available of different species of water animals, such as tortoise, snake, python etc as well as insects, birds etc.
· A research place for flora and fauna,
· One of the historical, religious and tourism place of eastern Nepal and of Morang district,
· Lonely, peace and beautiful place for picnic spot.

4.Climate :The altitude of the Raja and Rani Dhimal Ponds are in height of more than 500 meters from the sea level. The hottest temperature over the place is 35 degree Celsius and the lowest temperature is 10 degree Celsius in Summer seasons whereas the highest temperature is 22 degree Celsius to lowest is 2.2 degree Celsius in Winter seasons. The climate supports for the cultivation and harvest of coffee, guavas, banana, ginger, tea, maize, wheat etc.
5.Bio-diversity :The Rajarani Dhimal Pond is famous for Sunakhari flowers. It is assumed that there are 47 species of Sunakhari flowers found in the pond area and nearly 80 species of Sunakhari flowers are available around the ponds and in the forests. As so many species of Sunakhori flowers available so are found there different species of butterflies. The species of colorful fish in ponds attracts the hearts of the visitors. There are water animals such as tortoise, snakes, and pythons in the ponds. The place is also famous for the inhabitats of different animals and birds. Birds from different countries such as from India, Siberia and Australia come over there in seasons.
6. The Rajarani Temple:The Rajarani Temple is built by the Magar Community People in the middle of the Rajarani Dhimal Pond Hill. The priest of the temple is also from the magar community. Due to the beliefs of pilgrims being blessed by the deities for wish fulfilling, thousands of pilgrims offer their vow with offering goods and fruits on the beginning of the New Year according to Nepali Calendar. This temple is regarded as Manakamana Temple (the wish fulfilling temple) of eastern Nepal.
7. The Maharaja Gramthan of Dhimal Caste :The Maharaja Gramthan, the ancestral worshipping spot of Dhimal peoples, is to the north-east side of the Rajarani Dhimal Pond Hill. Each year on Baisakh 1 night peoples from Morang, Jhapa, Ilam, Sunsari and Kathmandu come over there stay wake up whole night at Gramthan and thousands of peoples worship their own deities on Baisakh 2 the next day. They celebrate Dhimal Jatri Fair by worshipping the ancestral deities from their own priest called "Dhami Warang". According to the folklore, the Dhimal King had told his queen that they would go to war to fight against the Birat King. They would carry the pigeon with them. If the pigeon would come back flying, then had to think that the king died. Since the king was ahead, the assistant tried to unclose and see what was inside but the pigeon came out and flew back to the queen. She thought that the king died in war. Then the queen plunged into the pond and died so did the king coming back on the way to war thinking that the queen had died seeing the pigeon back to the palace. The 12th generation of Kharam Dhami called Pultoong Dhami is also believed that disappeared into the pond. He had a great godly divine power. People on Jatri Fair Day come, pray and keep vow in the Gramthan. If the wish is fulfilled then they come the next year to pray and offer their promised things, sacrifice the hens, goats, pigeons, he-goats etc. If Pultoong Dhami is remembered, people believe that their wishes are fulfilled.
8. Picnic Spot :The picnic spot houses are made by the Rajarani Dhimal Pond Conservation Committee to the south of the Rajarani Dhimal Ponds amid the greenery and peaceful forests. Many picnic groups come to enjoy picnic over the place during picnic seasons. Toilet and drinking water taps are made to arrange sanitary surroundings.
9. The Settlement :Only Magar Caste people have occupied near the Rajarani Dhimal Pokhari, whereas the mixed people are found in Lokhra, Bagar Tole, Andheri Tole. Though Rajarani Dhimal Pokhari is Dhimal's tradition and historical origin place, no Dhimal settlement is available over the place at this present moment. But the place was once occupied only by the Dhimals in ancient periods. Different places surroundings have been named in Dhimal Language. The Dhimals moved to lowland Terai area called Letang which means lowland in Dhimal Language.
10. The Rajarani Dhimal Pond Conservation Committee :Though the Rajarani Dhimal Pond has not been legally registered yet, the Rajarani Community Forest Conservation Committee is giving a good security to the place. The committee has forwarded the file to register under the chairmanship of Mr. Dal Bahadur Magar at District Administration Office, Morang.