Sundarijal

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title: "Sundarijal" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-kathmandu-district"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-kathmandu-district" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundarijal" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameSundarijal
native_nameसुन्दरीजल
settlement_typeVillage of Gokarneshwar Municipality
image_skylineThe waterfall Sweet Sixteen, Sundarijal, Nepal (3729403856).jpg
image_captionThe waterfall Sweet Sixteen, Sundarijal, Nepal
imagesize300px
pushpin_mapNepal
pushpin_label_positionbottom
pushpin_mapsize300
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Nepal
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNepal
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1No. 3
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Kathmandu District
leader_title1
established_title
unit_pref
area_total_km25.18
population_as_of2001
population_total2586
population_density_km2auto
population_blank1_titleEthnicities
timezoneNepal Time
utc_offset+5:45
coordinates
elevation_footnotes
postal_code_typePostal code
postal_code44603
area_code01
::

|name = Sundarijal |other_name = |native_name = सुन्दरीजल |nickname = |settlement_type = Village of Gokarneshwar Municipality |motto = |image_skyline = The waterfall Sweet Sixteen, Sundarijal, Nepal (3729403856).jpg |image_caption = The waterfall Sweet Sixteen, Sundarijal, Nepal |imagesize =300px |image_flag = |image_seal = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Nepal |pushpin_label_position = bottom |pushpin_mapsize = 300 |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Nepal |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Nepal |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = No. 3 |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Kathmandu District |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = |established_title = |established_date = |unit_pref =
|area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 5.18 |area_total_sq_mi = |population_as_of = 2001 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 2586 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_blank1_title = Ethnicities |timezone = Nepal Time |utc_offset = +5:45 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code = 44603 |area_code = 01 |blank_name = |blank_info = |website = |footnotes = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Sundarijal_(400).JPG" caption="Sundarijal Waterfall"] ::

Sundarijal is a village and former Village Development Committee that is part of Gokarneshwar Municipality in Kathmandu district in Province No. 3 of central Nepal.

History

The name Sundarijal was derived from the term , which means 'beautiful' and , which means 'water'. The river Bagmati, which originates in this region, has been the major source of water supply for Kathmandu valley since the Rana Dynasty. There is also a Hindu goddess, , with a temple dedicated to this name.

Sundarijal Hydropower Station, located at Sundarijal, 15 km northeast of Kathmandu with previous installed capacity of 640KW, now upgraded to 970 KW + 10% with fully customized automation from July 2021 under rehab works by contractor Power Mech Project Ltd. It has a kW and annual design generation of 4.77 GWh and was commissioned in 1934 in a grant from British government. It was Nepal's second oldest Hydropower Electricity Project then.

In 1960, leaders from the Nepali Congress party B.P. Koirala (then prime minister), Ganesh Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Diwan Singh Rai, Ram Narayan Mishra, Yogendra Man Sherchan, and Jaman Singh Gurung were taken to Sundarijal Military Detention Camp. They were held there without trial for eight years due to their participation in the 1960 coup.

Geography and climate

Geographical situation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Sundarijal_(38).JPG" caption="View of Bagmati River from Sundarijal"] ::

Sundarijal is located 15 km northeast of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. It is located in west side of Gagalphedi, east of Nayapati and Baluwa, and north of Aalapot. Northern portion of Sundarijal is the forest that belongs to Shivapuri National Park. Further to the end of Shivapuri National Park the Village touches Nuwakot and Sindhulpalchok Districts.

Sundarijal covers an area of 5.18 km2. The Bagmati River flows through the village, where tributary rivers Shyalmati and Nagmati confluence with the Bagmati River. The temple is located at the confluence of Nagmati and Bagmati. Similarly, there is Shiva temple at the confluence of the Shyalmati and Bagmati.

Climate

The climate of Sundarijal is temperate. The average temperature in summer is 25.5 C and 0 C in winter.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census Sundarijal had a population of 2,552 living in 547 individual households. For the 2001 census Sundarijal had a population of 2,586 in 444 individual households. Sixty percent of the townsfolk are Buddhist and 40% are Hindu.

Below are the populations and households of Sundarijal's nine wards: ::data[format=table]

WardHouseholdsMaleFemaleTotal
1308688174
2104278295573
351117118235
454113136249
537149105254
6328986175
73595105200
835175132307
966209210419
4441,3111,2752,586
::

Economy

Agriculture

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Paddy_Farming_At_Sundarijal_(2).JPG" caption="Rice farming at Sundarijal"] ::

Agriculture in the VDC is only present in the eighth ward. There farmers only use traditional techniques without modern technology. In the northern part of the ward, the predominant crops are millet and maize, though barley and some vegetables are also cultivated. In the southern area, wheat, barley, maize, potato, vegetables and millet are grown.

Tourism

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Canyoning_NP.jpg" caption="Canyoning at Sundarijal"] ::

Many tourists come from the Kathmandu Valley, about an hour's drive away. Pollution in the Sundarijal reservoir has increased due to the number of tourists.

In addition, the VDC is a starting point for hikers along the Langtang Range. Various trekking routes also lie in Sundarijal, among them the Sundarijal-to-Chisapani trek, almost 22 km long.

Culture

The main religious sites in Sundarijal are the temples of Sundarimai Mandir, Ganesh Mandir, and Krishna Mandir. In July, the Dashahara festival is celebrated at confluence of Shyalmati and Bagmati.

Infrastructure

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Sundarijal_Dam.jpg" caption="Dam present on the trekking route of Nagarjun NP which creates a reservoir for hydroelectricity and water treatment"] ::

A 640 kW now upgraded to 970 KW+10% hydropower plant near the bus park provides electricity to Sundarijal. A mail post and police station are also located here.

BP Museum is also located in Sundarijal. The museum is one of the historical places in Nepal in present state, but it took long time for this to be established as a museum. It has its own historical transformation. Before, it was an Army General Quarter and then, it was changed into Rajbandigriha where prisoners were kept, after that again it changed to Gaida Gasti which again was changed to Sundarijal Military Camp and finally, after the detention of leaders like B.P it came into the light and was established as B.P Museum.

There is a US$464 million drinking-water project in Sundarijal that will bring water from Melamchi, treat, and distribute it. A pipeline, 58 km in length will be laid from Sundarijal to the town in the Kathmandu Valley. It will start pumping 170000000 L of water daily in 2020.

The National Scout Training Center is also located here inside the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. The center carries the history of more than a hundred years since the regime of Rana Prime Ministers Juddha Sumser, Dev Sumser, and Bir Sumser; hence modern facilities and amenities have not been introduced however the National Training Centre offers visitors comfortable camping space for around a hundred people at a time.

Nepal Army's arsenal is also located in Sundarijal.

Education

About 90% of residents can read or write, though fewer than that are fully literate. Those under the age of 25 years are more likely to be literate than those over forty. Literacy classes for older adults were available in the past, though due to low attendance they are no longer offered.

There are four schools in Sundarijal, whose attendance is shown below:

::data[format=table]

#MaleFemaleTotal
1214200414
25744101
39067157
47057127
431368799
::

Biodiversity

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/A_view_of_Shivapuri_national_park_from_Sundarijal.jpg" caption="A view of Shivapuri National Park from Sundarijal"] ::

Sundarijal's vegetation consists of mostly pine, oak, rhododendron, and other forest types. Wildlife recorded in the area include the Himalayan black bear, leopard, jungle cat, and rhesus monkey. The area around Sundarijal is the habitat of 177 species of birds, which includes at least nine threatened species, 102 species of butterflies with several endangered species, and 129 species of mushrooms.

References

References

  2. Khadka, R.B.. (2005). "Integrative Microdevelopment in Sundarijal?". [[University of New Mexico]].
  3. "Nepal Electricity Authority". Nepal Electricity Authority.
  4. "Picture of Sundarijal Military Detention Camp". [[Nepali Congress]].
  5. "National Population and Housing Census 2011".
  6. Phuyal, Surendra. (2001-06-03). "Put on your hiking boots and...". [[The Kathmandu Post]].
  7. "Sundarijal Hiking.".
  8. "BP Museum".
  9. (2002-02-10). ""Exorbitant" land price obstructs Melamchi Project". The Rising Nepal.
  10. Sangraula, Bikash. (2007-03-09). "ADB to trim Melamchi by US $114m". eKantipur.
  11. SUNDARIJAL NATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE. "Nepal Scout".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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