Bhimdatta

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Bhimdatta Municipality had a population of 106,666. Of these, 58.6% spoke Doteli, 13.3% Nepali, 9.7% Baitadeli, 8.0% Tharu, 4.1% Bajhangi, 1.6% Achhami, 1.3% Darchuleli, 1.2% Hindi, 0.7% Maithili, 0.4% Bajureli, 0.3% Magar, 0.1% Bengali, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Dadeldhuri, 0.1% Newar, 0.1% Sonaha, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% Uranw/Urau and 0.1% other languages as their first language.[https://nepalmap.org/data/table/?table=LANGUAGE&primary_geo_id=local-72004&geo_ids=local-72004,district-32,province-7,country-NP NepalMap Language]

In terms of ethnicity/caste, 32.4% were Chhetri, 25.3% Hill Brahmin, 9.6% Thakuri, 8.2% Tharu, 6.6% Kami, 6.2% other Dalit, 2.7% Damai/Dholi, 2.3% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.7% Sarki, 1.1% Magar, 0.7% Lohar, 0.4% Kathabaniyan, 0.4% Newar, 0.3% Gurung, 0.2% Badi, 0.2% Hajjam/Thakur, 0.2% Jhangad/Dhagar, 0.2% Musalman, 0.1% Bengali, 0.1% Terai Brahmin, 0.1% foreigners, 0.1% Halwai, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% Teli, 0.1% other Terai and 0.1% others.[https://nepalmap.org/data/table/?table=CASTE&primary_geo_id=local-72004&geo_ids=local-72004,district-32,province-7,country-NP NepalMap Caste]

In terms of religion, 98.6% were Hindu, 0.5% Christian, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.2% Muslim, 0.2% Prakriti and 0.1% others.[https://nepalmap.org/data/table/?table=RELIGION&primary_geo_id=local-72004&geo_ids=local-72004,district-32,province-7,country-NP NepalMap Religion]

In terms of literacy, 77.3% could read and write, 1.7% could only read and 20.9% could neither read nor write.[https://nepalmap.org/data/table/?table=LITERACY_SEX&primary_geo_id=local-72004&geo_ids=local-72004,district-32,province-7,country-NP NepalMap Literacy]

The indigenous people living here are the Rana-Tharus, but there are also people from other parts mostly from the hill districts Baitadi, Darchula and Dadeldhura. The festivals celebrated by the ethnic Tharu people are Holi and Maghi. Tharu people celebrate Maghi as New Year, while Hill People primarily celebrate Gora (commonly called Gaura Parba). Deepawali or Diwali or Tihar is a major festival which is celebrated with Laxmi Puja, Gai Puja, and Bhai Tika on their respective days. Dashain is also a major festival here. A small population from western Nepal, mainly Arghakhachi, Gulmi, Pyuthan, etc., have settled here (mostly in Bhasi), even before local people of the same region settled from the hills of Far-west Nepal.

Bhimdatta is the business and educational hub of the Mahakali Zone. Since it is in close proximity to the border with India, Bhimdattaa plays a major role in trade in the region. Students from neighbouring districts come for education. Far-western University, which teaches diversified disciplines ranging from economics to the humanities to the sciences, is the only university in the city. People here are mainly occupied by agriculture as Nepal is an agrarian society. Business is another source of empowering the local economy, which is concentrated in the bazaar area of Bhimdatta. Government services are a significant part of the economy. Being comparatively closer to the major industrial areas of India, Mahendranagar could serve as a portal for industrial exchange between India and Nepal.

Nepal Telecom and Ncell provide 3G and 4G facilities in the area.

Bhimdatta is connected to other parts of Nepal by East-West Highway, which is the only road that connects it to the rest of Nepal. There is a domestic airport in Bhimdatta which is out of service. Bus service connects Bhimdatta to all the other parts of the country. Bhimdatta is also connected by sub-highways to hill towns Dipayal, Baitadi, Amargadhi, and Darchula.

There is a customs post for goods and third-country nationals, while Indian and Nepalese nationals may cross the border freely. Banbasa, Uttarakhand state, India is the other side of the border. Bhimdatta is the nearest place in Nepal to the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Mahendranagar is the home of the Far Western University; it has a number of colleges and educational institutes.Shree Siddhanath Science Campus is the first science campus in Mahendranagar and was established in 2033 B.S. It is a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University.{{Cite web|url=http://www.snsc.edu.np/|title=Siddhanath Science Campus Home|website=www.snsc.edu.np|access-date=2019-08-16|archive-date=2019-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801083509/http://www.snsc.edu.np/|url-status=live}}

List of notable schools:

• Adarsh Vidya Niketan

File:Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve 1.jpg]]

• Linga Dham
• Shuklaphanta National Park
• Jhilmila Lake
• Vishnu Temple

• Radio Mahakali 96.2 MHz
• Shuklaphanta FM 94.4 MHz
• Radio Nagarik FM 104.3 MHz

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Bhimdatta (Mahendra Nagar), elevation {{convert|197|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals)

|Jan high C = 20.0

|Feb high C = 24.7

|Mar high C = 30.1

|Apr high C = 35.5

|May high C = 37.1

|Jun high C = 36.2

|Jul high C = 33.3

|Aug high C = 33.1

|Sep high C = 33.1

|Oct high C = 31.4

|Nov high C = 27.5

|Dec high C = 23.9

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 13.7

|Feb mean C = 16.8

|Mar mean C = 21.5

|Apr mean C = 26.8

|May mean C = 29.9

|Jun mean C = 30.7

|Jul mean C = 29.5

|Aug mean C = 29.3

|Sep mean C = 28.6

|Oct mean C = 25.0

|Nov mean C = 20.0

|Dec mean C = 16.1

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 7.4

|Feb low C = 8.8

|Mar low C = 12.9

|Apr low C = 18.0

|May low C = 22.7

|Jun low C = 25.2

|Jul low C = 25.7

|Aug low C = 25.4

|Sep low C = 24.1

|Oct low C = 18.6

|Nov low C = 12.5

|Dec low C = 8.3

| year low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 25.7

|Feb precipitation mm = 38.5

|Mar precipitation mm = 19.4

|Apr precipitation mm = 17.2

|May precipitation mm = 51.7

|Jun precipitation mm = 254.4

|Jul precipitation mm = 509.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 524.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 297.3

|Oct precipitation mm = 55.4

|Nov precipitation mm = 6.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 15.5

|year precipitation mm = 1814.9

|source 1 = Department of Hydrology and Meteorology{{cite web

| url = https://www.dhm.gov.np/climate-services/climate%20reports/monthly-reports

| title = Climate Division (Climate Analysis Section)

| publisher=Department of Hydrology and Meteorology

| access-date = 8 February 2025}}

|source 2 = JICA (precipitation){{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240406020323/https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12147286_01.pdf

| archive-date = 6 April 2024

| url = https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12147286_01.pdf

| title = ネパール国 全国貯水式水力発電所マスタープラン調査 ファイナルレポート

| publisher=Japan International Cooperation Agency

| access-date = 21 February 2025}}

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Kanchanpur District}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Kanchanpur District

Category:Transit and customs posts along the India–Nepal border

Category:Points for exit and entry of nationals from third countries along the India–Nepal border

Category:Nepal municipalities established in 1977

Category:Municipalities in Kanchanpur District