Gandaki River

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Coordinates: Muktinath Vaishnava temple Idols, Nepal
For Tibetan Buddhists Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is a place of Dakinis, goddesses known
as Sky Dancers. It is of great importance for Buddhists that Chumig Gyatsa is one of the
24 Tantric places.
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that for this reason Guru Rinpoche, also known as
Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism had meditated at Muktinath on his
way to Tibet. It is one of the 51 Sakthi peetams.
The particular site in the course of the river where the stones become sacred is known as
Chakra-Tirtha.The sanctity of this site is said to extend to three yojanas (24 miles) all
round.
There is also a tributary called Chakra-nadi or Jhong Khola which flows from Muktinath
and joins the Kali Gandaki at Kagbeni. This tributary is described in Garuda purana as
created by Brahma; and the great peak to the north of the river is said to contain the
presence of Vishnu. All the stones found in the river as well as in the mountain are
believed to bear the marks of Vishnu. The entire area (including streams and the
mountainside to the north of Muktinath) covers as many as twelve yojanas (96 miles),
according to the Puranic account. Among the Saligrama stones, some are from the waters
(jalaja) and some are from the mountainside (sthalaja). Puranic texts testify that the
sacred stones are what are found in the river, and not what are taken out of the rock on its
banks.

[edit] Nepali Mandir, Hajipur

It is a unique Shaivite shrine near Hajipur made in the late medieval period (18th
century), by one of the army commanders of Nepal. The temple brings-in a fresh pagoda-
style architecture of the Himalayan Kingdom to the plains of the Ganges. This temple is
built largely of wood. Another distinctive feature of this temple is its fine wooden
carving, which includes, of others, generous erotic scenes.

[edit] Jamia Masjid, Hajipur

This mosque in Hajipur, called Jami Masjid, built in 1587, is a plain building measuring
84.5 ft (25.8 m). long and 33.5 ft (10.2 m). broad, crowned by three domes, the central
one being larger than the others.
Vaishali, which was the capital of one of the states in northern India during Buddha's
lifetime, to Nalanda, which was the seat of a celebrated Buddhist monastic university in
the 5th–12th century.
[edit] Places of Archaeological significance
Archaeologically important places around Valmikinagar are Lauriya-Nandangarh and
Someshwar Fort.
In Lauria block,[10] about 1 km east of Nandan Garh, a lion pillar of Ashoka, made out
of a single block of polished sand stone, measuring 35 feet (11 m) in height with a
diameter of 35" at the base and 22" at the top, which is believed to be over 2300 years
old, is in an excellent condition. Its massiveness and exquisite finish furnish striking
proof of the skill and resources of the masons of Ashokan age. Two more such pillars
with their capitals removed have been discovered in Rampurwa village, close to Gandhi's
Bhitiharawa Ashram in Gaunaha block. One of their capitals, the bull is now in the
National Museum at New Delhi and the other, the lion, is at Calcutta Museum.
At Nandan Garh there are also Baudh (Buddha) Stupas (huge mounds) made out of bricks
and about 80 feet (24 m) high which according to the authoritative source are Ashoka
Stupas, in which ashes of Lord Buddha’s funeral pyre are enshrined.
Someshwar Fort is situated in Narkatiaganj sub-division, near Nepal border, on top of
Someshwar Hill at 2,884 ft (879 m). above M.S.L. It is in a ruined state but its remains
are well defined.
The Bhitiharawa Ashram[10] of Mahatma Gandhi near Gaunaha in the eastern end of the
Valmiki reserve. It is a village in Gaunaha block in Bihar from where Gandhiji started his
freedom movement that came to be known as 'Champaran Satyagraha' in India history.
The village houses the hut which is called Ashram and has become a place of Gandhian
pilgrimage.

[edit] Mustang Caves [11]

A recent chance discovery (by a villager) of an extraordinary art treasure that lay hidden
from the world for centuries was made in 2007 in a partially collapsed cave (at 3,400 m
elevation) containing the 12th to 14th century collection of 55 exquisite cave paintings
depicting the life of Buddha. Mr. Fieni, a member of a team of Italian, US and Nepalese
conservators and archaeologists which has explored these findings, has said that "Finding
the cave was almost like a miracle, --- Unlike the murals in the monastery, the Mustang
cave paintings do not reveal a Tibetan but a strong Indian influence, including the
animals they depict - leopard, tiger, monkey and deer," said. "In fact, the style evokes the
fabulous cave paintings of Ajanta, which predate the Mustang caves by several
centuries." The exploration team has called it "the snow leopard cave" as the animal's
footprints were found inside. The simultaneous discovery of ancient Tibetan manuscripts
in nearby caves has also led to speculation that the caves might have been a teaching
retreat on the lines of the Buddhist university in Nalanda.
[edit] Development Scenario
[edit] Hydropower Development
[edit] Nepal
Water wealth of Nepal is as precious as the oil wealth of the Middle East countries.
In Nepal, Sapta Gandaki alone has a huge hydropower potential of 20,650 MW
(economic exploitable potential is 5,270 MW) out of a total estimated potential of 83,290
MW (economically exploitable potential is 42,140 MW). The country has so far been
able to generate only around 600 MW of hydropower[12] out of which the Gandak basin
projects contribute more than 44% - 266 MW. The Hydropower projects built are the
Trisuli at Nuwakot (21 MW), Devighat at Nuwakot (14 MW), Pokhra (1MW) and
Western Gandak HEP, at Nawalparasi (15) MW, - financed by the Govt. of India - ,
Marsyangdi at Tanahu (69 MW), Kali Gandaki at Syanja (144 MW) and Syange 2 MW.
Middle Marsyangdi HE Project (70 MW) at Lamjung is under final stage of construction.
Several major projects are on the anvil for implementation in the near future. With Govt.
of Nepal now according priority to private-sector participation in a multi-pronged
approach, the pace of Hydropower development will get accelerated.
Recently, a major Indian Investor (a renowned firm) of India has entered into a share
purchase and joint venture agreement with a Nepalese firm to acquire 80 per cent stake of
Nepalese Company (P) for development of the Upper Marsyangdi HEP (250MW).
Achieving the economically exploitable potential need would no more be a mirage.[13]
Reportedly there are several other major projects being pursued by the Govt. of Nepal for
private sector participation on IPP basis.
[edit] India
Since the Gandak terrain in India is mostly flat plains, and hence does not have any large
hydropower potential. Only, a few small canal head power stations are envisaged.
[edit] Irrigation development - Nepal and India [14]
The Gandak Project at Valmikinagar (Bhainsaloton), intercepts water of a catchment
(37,410 sqkm – 90% area is in Nepal) which lies partly in Nepal and partly in India. An
Agreement between His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the Government of India on
the Gandak Irrigation and Power Project, signed at Kathmandu on 4 December 1959;
which came in force upon signature (somewhat modified in 1964), to construct the
project comprising a barrage, canal head regulators and other appurtenant works about 33
m (100 ft) below the existing Triveni Canal Head Regulator and of taking out canal
systems for purposes development of irrigation and power for Nepal and India.[15] Some
modification was subsequently made in this agreement in 1964 for the protection of
Nepal’s riparian rights. Basically there is an agreed share of water for ‘western Canal
System including a power station in Nepal and Eastern canal System. As a part of this
bilateral agreement, the Gandak Barrage, a part of Gandak Project, has been built
(1968/69.) over the Gandak river for providing irrigation to Nepal, U.P. and Bihar.[16]
The irrigation potential of this project is 11,510 km², spread in the district of West
Champaran, East Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Saran, Siwan & Gopalganj. The
Eastern Gandak Canal Project was taken up in 1960 and Main Canal system was
completed in 1975 for flow irrigation in Nepal for the gross commanded area estimated to
be 103,500 acres (419 km2).
A hydroelectric generating station with an installed capacity of 15 MW (3x5 MW) has
also been constructed and commissioned on the by pass to Eastern Gandak Canal.[17]
[edit] Flood management - Nepal and India
Flood management, ideally, does not aim at total elimination or control of floods or
providing total immunity from the effects of all magnitudes of floods, which is neither
practicable from economic considerations nor even necessary, keeping in view other
realities that are faced in the Indian context. Thus, a multi pronged strategy ranging from
modifying the floods by means of structural measures to learning to live with the floods
by means of other non structural measures is well within pragmatic realism in flood
management. Measures for protection against extreme floods of low frequency are
seldom economically feasible. The term `flood management' may rationally be expected
to refer to the provision of a reasonable degree of protection against floods by
structural/non-structural measures to mitigate the recurring havoc caused by floods. This
is what is being done in flood plains of Gandak River in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh which
are affected by floods.[18]

[edit] Navigation in Gandak River

Nepal has carried out studies on the feasibility of having navigational use of the Gandak
river. Studies indicate that a) it is feasible only in the lower reaches, b) link it with India’s
number 1 highway from Allahabad to haldia, and c) cognizance has to be taken of the
adverse situation which could arise due to increased irrigation use in dry season which
could restrict the level for maintaining river the river level for possible navigation.[19]

[edit] See also

• The Living Planet