Original version of the article is published in Spaces magazine, art and architecture magazine of Nepal, April 2018

KHALANGA-MALLARANI-GAUNPALIKA, PYUTHAN:"THE PLACE MORE HEARD AND LESS EXPLORED”

Khalanga is one of the small settlement located in MallaRani Gaunpalika, the newly formed Gaunpalika in Pyuthan district of province number 5, in Nepal and lies south of Pyuthan municipality and bordered with Jhumruk Khola. It lies in the eastern diversion on the way to Swargadwari, the famous religious pilgrimage and scenic site in the mid- western of Nepal, which is famous for Nepalese, Indian tourists, as well as the trekkers. Khalanga, is accessed by almost 12 hours bus ride from Kathmandu valley through East west highway via Prithvi Highway, till the place name Chakchake and then one can enjoy the local bus ride to reach Khalanga in 2 hours . Pyuthan consists of Madi khola and Jhumruk khola which together meets at Rapti river. With total of 5860 populations (Source: CBS,2011) the old settlement patterns of the Khalanga center shows ribbon development along the major-road axis towards North and South, encroached between two hilltops in East and west. Due to its geographical terrains, the new settlements are seen sparsely developing towards the south. During infamous Maoist insurgency war, Pyuthan was one of the foremost and instrumental land that suffered major historical insurgency wars and its aftermaths.