NewsPolar AI
- Madi Valley in Chitwan is rich in terms of nature, religious sites and cultural heritage
- Madi has started to become the centre of tourist attraction in recent times
- “There is an increasing attraction towards the waterfall,” Khem Prasad Mahato, Deputy Mayor
Chitwan, June 12: The Madi Valley in Chitwan is rich in terms of nature, religious sites and cultural heritage. It is home to various religious shrines such as the Sameshwor Temple, Goddhak, Baikuntha Tal (Lake), and the Ram Mandir.
Madi also boasts the Dhanalaxmi Jharana waterfall, which falls from a height of around 60 meters. However, many people are unaware of the natural heritage found here.
The Baikunthadham Area Management Committee has now begun efforts to develop and promote the area. The waterfall is accessible via a one-hour trek from Baikuntha Lake, and some infrastructure has already been developed to facilitate the visitors.
According to Raj Kumar Pariyar, Chair of the Baikunthadham Worship and Fair Management Main Committee, construction of cemented stairs from the lake area to the waterfall is underway. The project is currently 50 percent complete and is expected to be finished in the upcoming fiscal year. However, budget constraints have slowed down progress, affecting the local government’s ability to speed up construction.
Krishna Adhikari, former local representative of Madi Municipality-8, noted that settlement in the Madi area began between 2020 and 2022.With this, the culture of observing the cultural fair and the ritual of broadcasting ‘satbij (mixture of various sorts of grains)’ on the Balachaturdashi festival had begun here. Now it attracts devotees not only from Madi but also from entire Chitwan and bordering India.
The myth says that wishes for achieving wealth come true by visiting this area and that’s why the waterfall is named after the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, Laxmi. The site is located south of Kharakatta on the Madi-Thori Postal Road. From Kharakatta, a three-kilometre motorable road leads to the forest area, from where it takes about 20 minutes to walk to Baikunthe Lake. From the lake, it takes approximately one and a half hours to reach the waterfall.
“Lately, people have started coming here not only for religious purposes but also for tourism,” said Adhikari. “With adequate infrastructure development to improve access to the site, it could attract even more tourists,” he added.
The places within the Baikunthadham region, including Baikuntha Tal, Dhanalakshmi Waterfall, Baikuntheshwar Shiva Temple, the Kailash hill, Prem Daha (pond), Manmoh Cliff, the Duikhola Dobhan, Chamere Cave, and Aranya Buddhist Monastery, are of great natural and religious significance.
According to him, it is due to these natural and heritage sites that Madi has started to become the centre of tourist attraction. Additionally, the official mentioned that initiatives like Kantipur collective farm, the ‘farm stay’, and Ayodhya Road have made tourism here more attractive by connecting it with the community.
Deputy Mayor Khem Prasad Mahato said that work is being carried out to bring tourists to Dhanalakshmi Chhahara after a plan was prepared to develop the Baikunthadham area in an integrated manner.
“There is an increasing attraction towards the waterfall. Since it is located deep within the forest, many are not even aware of it. If we promote it and develop the required infrastructure, it could become an important tourist area in the future. Therefore, we will work on making arrangements for the necessary budget,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Mahato mentioned that Madi is an attractive place in terms of nature and geography, and plans have been made accordingly for the development of this area, which has waterfalls, lakes, and religious sites. #nepal rss #waterfall
