Arjundhara Municipality

{{Short description|Municipality in Koshi Province, Nepal}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Arjundhara

| native_name = अर्जुनधारा

| other_name =

| settlement_type = Municipality

| image_skyline = Arjun Dhara Temple Jhapa.jpg

| image_caption = Arjundhara Dham

| image_flag =

| image_seal =

| nickname =

| motto =

| image_map =

| map_caption = Location of Arjundhara Municipality in Koshi Province

| pushpin_map = Nepal Province1#Nepal

| pushpin_mapsize = 300

| coordinates = {{coord|26.685052|87.99136|type:city_region:NP|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Nepal}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name1 = Koshi

| subdivision_name2 = Jhapa

| established_title =

| established_date =

| government_footnotes =

| government_type =

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Baldevsingh Gomden Tamang (CPN UML)

| leader_title1 = Deputy Mayor

| leader_name1 = Khadga Maya Parajuli (CPN UML)

| unit_pref =

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 =

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| population_total = 84018

| population_as_of = 2021

| population_footnotes =

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_blank1_title = Ethnicities

| population_note =

| postal_code_type = Postal Code

| postal_code = 57200

| area_code = 023

| unemployment_rate =

| footnotes =

|

| timezone = NST

| utc_offset = +5:45

| timezone_DST =

| utc_offset_DST =

| blank_name =

| blank_info =

| website = [http://arjundharamun.gov.np official website]

}}

Arjundhara ({{langx|ne|अर्जुनधारा}}) is a municipality in Jhapa District of Province No. 1 in Eastern Nepal. It was formed in 2014{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} by merging the former village development committees Arjundhara, Shanischare, and Khudunabari.[http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=74336 72 new municipalities announced] My Republica[http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2014/05/08/news/govt-announces-72-new-municipalities/262559.html Govt announces 72 new municipalities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006084717/http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2014/05/08/news/govt-announces-72-new-municipalities/262559.html |date=2014-10-06 }} The Kathmandu Post It was named Shani-Arjun initially but was changed to Arjundhara again in January 2017.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} It is named after a holy place situated here, Arjundhara Temple. At the time of the 2021 Nepal census it had a population of 84,018 people living in 20,935 individual households.{{cite web|title=National Population and Housing Census 2021|url=http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/2017/Population_Ward_Level_753_Local_Unit.pdf|publisher=Central Bureau of Statistics|access-date=1 May 2018|date=November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127085017/http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/2017/Population_Ward_Level_753_Local_Unit.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2018|url-status=dead}}

History

The ancient temple, steeped in the lore of the Mahabharata, bears witness to a brief yet profound moment in history. Within its sacred confines lies a pond, a testament to a pivotal event from the epic tale. Legend has it that during the exile of the Pandavas, as they traversed the unforgiving wilderness, Arjuna, moved by the plight of a parched cow, unleashed an arrow that struck the earth, conjuring forth a spring of life-giving water. This oasis became known as Arjundhara, a name immortalizing the selfless act of the noble warrior.

In more recent times, the villages of Arjundhara and Sanischare converged to form the Arjundhara Municipality in 2017, marking a new chapter in their shared history.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

Sanischare/Arjundhara served as the initial home for the Dhakal family when they relocated from the nearby hills, particularly Namsaling in Ilam, to the plains. Jaya Prasad Dhakal, the son of Abhinarayan Dhakal, emerged as a prominent figure in this area. In his later years, he dedicated a significant portion of his time to writing and critically analyzing Nepali literature. Notably, he adhered to a pragmatic approach and drew inspiration from Postmodern literature in his work.

Furthermore, it's worth mentioning that Sanischare, now known as Arjundhara, held a distinct honor as the first location in all of Nepal to establish a fruit canning factory during the 1960s. This pioneering venture was owned by Jaya Prasad Dhakal, who later spearheaded rubber plantation initiatives in Nepal.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Sanischare enjoyed a reputation as an industrious hub. However, challenges such as inflation and natural disasters, particularly flooding, briefly dampened its aspirations for growth and development.

Presently, Sanischare is experiencing a steady increase in population, particularly as it merges with Arjundhara, and strives to evolve into a progressive municipality, both in terms of politics and socio-economic reforms.

{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}Current mayor of Arjundhara Municipality is Baldev Singh Gomden Tamang.

References