5.Far-Western

Far-Western Development Region

The Far-Western Development Region is one of Nepal's five development regions. It is located at the western end of the country and has its headquarters in Dipayal.

The Far-Western Region covers 19,539 square kilometers. It has nine districts with the regional headquarters at Dipayal, Doti District. The Far-Western Region is remote and developmentally challenged. Some 44% of people in the Far West Hills and 49% in the Himalayan districts live below the poverty line. The region has limited basic services. The difficult topography complicates development. The region has complex socio-economic structures along with widespread gender- and caste-based discrimination. Traditional systems associated with religion, culture and customs have limited overall development.

The Far-Western Region comprises two zones:

1.  Mahakali 
2.  Seti.

The region is sometimes called the Doti region, which some believe originates from 'Dovati' meaning land between two rivers. Others believe it originated from the Hindu god Dev and Aatavi, meaning the place of re-creation. History goes back to the 13th century when Niranjan Malldeo founded the Doti Kingdom following the fall of the Katyuri Kings. Dotiyali and Kumauni are spoken there. Deuda, Jhoda, Chhpeli, Chhaliya, Bhada etc. are traditional regional dances and Gaura/Gamara is the biggest festival.

1.Mahakali Zone

Mahakali is one of the fourteen zones located in the Far-Weatern Development Region of Nepal covering an area of 6,205 km² in the most western part of the country. It stretches along Nepal's far western border with India, marked by the Kali River or Mahakali River, which originates from Limpiyadhura, a disputed location for whether or not the Tricountry border point of Nepal and India with China.

Mahakali's headquarters is Bhimdatta (formerly called Mahendranagar) in Kanchanpur District. The zone covers the Himalayan range including Api Peak in the North, Hill valleys, Inner Terai valleys such as Patan Municipality in Baitadi District in the center and the outer Terai in the South. The name of this zone is derived from the Kali River.

Geography

The boundary of this region was Kali river on the west and Seti Zone on the east. After the Sugauli Treaty (also spelled Segowlee) was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified on March 4, 1816, between the British East India Company and The Kingdom of Nepal; Kali river which originates from Limpiyadhura, became the international boundary with the United Provinces of British India (now Uttarakhand, India). The coldest area in the zone is Byash and the hottest is Kanchanpur. The Api Himalayas lie in this zone from where Chameliya river originates.

Mahakali is divided into four districts:

• Baitadi
• Dadhedura
• Darchulla
• Kanchanpur

Language, culture and history

Mahakali Zone of Nepal has a distinct language, culture and history. Various dialects of Kumauni language are spoken in this region. Even in the Kanchanpur District 80% of the people speak Kumauni language. Dotiyali dialect of Kumauni language is spoken in Dadeldhura District and Baitada dialect of Kumauni language is spoken in Baitadi and Darchula districts.

Gora is a famous festival observed in Mahakali Zone. In ancient times, this region was a part of the Katyuri kingdom. After its collapse, this zone became a part of Doti kingdom, a branch of the Katyuri Kings. Brahmadev Mandir in Kanchanpur District was built during the reign of the Katyuri king Brahmadev.

Important cities

The largest city in the Mahakali Zone is Bhimdatta (or Bhim Datta, formerly called Mahendranagar), which is also the headquarters of Kanchanpur District. Other main towns of Mahakali Zone are Dashrathchand, Patan (Baitadi) and Darchula Bajar.

The Amargadhi, the district headquarters, is named after General Amarshing Thapa (a famous Gorkha General) who formed a fort to expand Gorkha Empire capturing Kumaoun state after had defeated in previous war with Kumaoun during 1790 A.D.

Rajghat is also famous city of Kanchanpur District. It is located at Raikawar Bichawa VDC.

There are 3 municipality in Kanchanpur District.

Protected areas

Mahakali Zone hosts the Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Kanchanpur District in the Terai, which covers an area of 305 km² and surrounded by a buffer zone of 243.5 km².

Seti zone

Seti is one of the fourteen zones located in the Far-Western Development Region of Nepal.

Seti is divided into five districts:

• Achham
• Bajhang
• Bajura
• Doti
• Kailali

Dhangadhi in the Terai is the major city of Seti Zone, headquarters are in Dipayal-Silgadhi.

History

Doti was an ancient kingdom of the Far-Western region of Nepal which was formed after disintegration of the Katyuri kingdom of Uttarakhand and the Far-Western region during the 13th century. Doti was one of eight princely states formed after the kingdom broke up. The others were Baijnath-Katyuri, Dwarahat, Doti, Baramandal, Askot, Sira, Sora and Sui (Kali kumaon). The kingdom broke up because of the invasion of Khas kings Ashoka challa and Krachalla from Karnali Zone(Dullu) of Nepal in 1191 and 1223 respectively. Later on, the land between Ramganga on the west (Uttarakhand) and the Karnali on the east (which divides the Far-Western region from the rest of Nepal) came under Raikas after the origin of Raikas of Katyuris in Doti. "Brahma Dev Mandi" at Kanchanpur District of Mahakali Zone was established by Katyuri king Brahma Dev.

Raikas

Niranjan Malla Dev founded Doti Kingdom around the 13th century after the fall of Katyuris Kingdom. He was the son of Last Katyuris of united Katyuris kingdom. Kings of Doti were known as Raikas (also known as Rainka Maharaj). The Raikas, after the overthrow Khas Malla of Karnali Zone, formed a Raikas Kingdom in the Far-Western Region and Kumaun that was called Doti. So far, the historical evidence for the following Raikas has been discovered:

Niranjan Malla Dev (Founder of Doti Kingdom), Nagi Malla (1238), Ripu Malla (1279), Nirai Pal (1353 may be of Askot and historical evidence of him from 1354 AD has been found in Almoda), Nag Malla (1384), Dhir Malla (1400), Ripu Malla (1410), Anand Malla (1430), Balinarayan Malla (not known), Sansar Malla (1442), Kalyan Malla (1443), Suratan Malla (1478), Kriti Malla (1482), Prithivi Malla (1488), Medini Jay Malla (1512), Ashok Malla (1517), Raj Malla (1539), Arjun Malla/Sahi (not known but he was ruling Sira as Malla and Doti as Shahi), Bhupati Malla/Shahi (1558), Sagaram Shahi (1567), Hari Malla/Shahi (1581 Last Raikas King of Sira and adjoining part of Nepal), Rudra Shahi (1630), Vikram Shahi (1642), Mandhata Shahi (1671), Raghunath Shahi (1690), Hari Shahi (1720), Krishna Shahi (1760), Deep Shahi (1785), Prithivi pati Shahi (1790, 'he had fought against the Nepali Ruler (Gorkhali Ruler) with British in 1814 A.D').

The historic place of war between the Doti Kingdom and Nepal (Gorkha kingdom) during the period of Gorkha Expansion in 1790, according to the history of Nepal, is Nari-Dang, on the bank of the Seti River. The Dumrakot was the base of Doti Kingdom for fighting against Gorkhali.

Mongol/Mughal invasion

During the period of Akbar, 16th century, Mongols (Mughals) attacked the Raikas. They invaded Ajemeru, capital of the Raikas Kingdom. Ajemeru is now in Dadeldhura District in the Far-Western region. According to Indo-Persian historian Abd-ul-Qadir Bada'uni (c. 1540 – 1615), Army Chief of Akbar, Khan, lured by the wealth and treasury of the Raikas state, attempted to plunder the state, but did not succeed.

Major cities

The Dhangadhi municipality is in Kailali District of Seti Zone.Mahendranagar is the headquarters of the Kanchanpur District in Mahakali Zone. It is located on the Mahakali River, 6 km north of the India border, and is inhabited by the indigenous Tharu people and other groups.

Dipayal-Silgadhi municipality is the headquarters of Doti District and the Far-Western Region. It is within trekking distance of Khaptad National Park. Dipayal is also the name of the valley encompassing the Seti River.

Amargadhi is the headquarters of the Dadeldhura District.

Akhand Sudurpaschim

Akhand Sudurpaschim (अखण्ड सुदूरपश्चिम) is a movement orchestrated by the natives of Far Western Region aiming to create a separate state and self-determination rights for the native population. Natives have claimed two districts of Madhesh plain region: Kailali and Kanchanpur, while Madheshi based parties want a separate Madhesh province along with the two districts that geographically lie in the Terai-Madhesh Plains. The Far Western Region, inhabited by a majority of Doteli speaking people as of the 2011 census, shares a border with the Indian district of Uttarakhand and shares a similar ethnicity, language and culture. A movement against the central Sate “half-blood behavior" began on 26 April 2012, effectively halting state services, and ended upon the dissolution of the constitutional assembly on 28 May 2012.