A Taste of Medieval Times in Tansen
By Yingchan Yang
Perched high on top of a ridge, and situated between the major tourist destinations of Pokhara and Lumbini, sits the little hill station of Tansen.
My venture into Tansen began from Lumbini. I’ve never heard of Tansen, but from the map it looks a convenient stopover for a breather before continuing north to Pokhara. Changing buses first at Bhairawa and then Butwal, the journey was pretty smooth at first with the final leg into Tansen being a little steep and too windy.
Crammed into the obviously overcrowded local bus, I tried to make the most of the space given to feel comfortable. Outside, the view from the window seems to be painted with seemingly endless portraits of the countryside, which was a major help in soothing the splitting headache I was getting from the bumpy ride.
Then the driver announced we had reached Tansen, and I jumped out of the bus to be greeted by a charming little town packed with friendly residents. If Lumbini overwhelmed me with an aura of spirituality, then Tansen bestowed upon me the timeless charm of an old city.
I kept myself busy the first afternoon exploring the old town. Unraveling before my eyes, were the scene of romantic medieval times so often shown in movies as I stroll past intact Newari shop-houses, built since the days of yesteryears . The main market square was dominated by an octagonal pavilion, an internet café nearby jolted me out of my daydreams, bringing me back to the 21st century. It was a picture of perfect harmony as the little town hums to the cheerful rhythm of life. I stopped for some oranges, and a friendly local came forward helping me with translation, in perfect English. No touts, none of the stalls owners “harassed” me to look at their goods or to buy something.
School children stare bemused, some giggling discreetly, when they spot me panting while climbing the steep Asan tole. Locals carrying goods twice my size overtake me easily, forcing me to blush with embarrassment. It’s not difficult to guess why this region had produced so many brave young boys who would later on become one of the most feared soldiers in the world.
A visit to the Getup Tourist office, tucked away in one of the narrow streets, and I was amazed at the amount of things Tansen could offer to keep me fully occupied. Two days suddenly seems so short. As the former capital of the Magar Kingdom of Tanahun, Tansen boasts some marvelous Newari architecture with great historical value. Most prominent of all is the Tansen Durbar, once the seat of power, which still stands conspicuously despite being targeted during the insurgency period.
Fancy some walking? A short trek up the viewpoint of Shrinagar Danda allows fantastic views of the Himalayas on a clear day. Other destinations on well established walking routes include the Ranighat Durbar, Ridi Bazaar and to the nearby villages of Ghorbanda and Ghansal.
However, despite its excellent location, Tansen sees only a handful of tourists making their way down: local shop owners estimate the figure to be around 1500-2000 per year. Guesthouse workers cited the main reason for the lack of tourist patronage to the little efforts done to promote Tansen as a tourist destination.
Sizzling with life in the day, Tansen remains an early- to- bed town with most of the shops closing around 8 at night. A handful of eateries remain open though, as cheerful cooks whip up a delicious plate of chowmien, for only half the price I pay in Kathmandu! Night falls, and the small town glowed under the soft light of the crescent moon accompanied by a canopy of stars.
I walk slowly back to my hotel, basking in the peacefulness, for I know Pokhara would be a totally different matter.
The author is a journalism student from Singapore and is doing an intern with nepalnews.com. She can be reached at face2fake@hotmail.com.
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