Gorkha Thalajung The Amazing Place and Culture

Thalajung is a village development committee located in Gorkha district, Gandaki Zone, in the administrative map of Nepal. The village is accessible by two graveled roads that meet at Thalajung Bhanjyang, which stretches north up to Bhachek and Barpak villages. The first one diverges at Abu Khaireni from Prithivi highway, from where it follows a graveled road along the banks of Daraudi river up to Siranchok danda where the village is located. The next road starts at Dumre along the Marsyangdi valley en route the old bazaars like Bhansar, Turture, Palungtar, Salletar and Borang khola. The newly dug stretch of this road from Borang khola across the historic Chepe river banks, where the Shah Kings of Lamjung and Gorkha fought wars over territorial claims, winds up to Thalajung Bhanjyang near the village.

Thalajung village lies on the eastern flank of Siranchok dada at a height of 2000 meters. The main inhabitants of the village are Gurungs. The village is surrounded by forts or Kots such as Siranchok or Shreenath Kot, Lig Lig Kot, Rainas Kot, Taku Kot, Azir Kot that dates back to a period when Nepal was divided into 22 and 24 tribal states until the unification of Nepal by Prithivi Narayan Shah. Majestic views of Mount Manaslu, Annapurna, Himchuli, Ganesh and Lamjung are seen from this village. Its perfect hilly location, natural setting, good weather makes this place very suitable for the development of village tourism, tea and coffee plantation, a resort town, and a gateway to trekking in Manaslu conservation area.

Paragliding from Siranchok danda below Marsyangdi and Chepe river valley, rafting and canoeing in Chepe river, pilgrimage to Dudh pokhari, and treks to Tsum valley, Barpak, and Laprak villages along the Manaslu circuit trail provides immense tourism opportunities in this region. Like all other villages in Nepal, people from this village have migrated to cities for better opportunities. Now what makes this village a beautiful hill station, a cultural and natural heritage spot, will depend on the cooperation between those who left the village and those who chose to remain due to various reasons. The future of Thalajung village depends on its people as the old folks used to say, \" afno gau afai banau \".

Article by: Bimal Gurung