About Palpa

The district of Palpa lies in the 'Middle Hills' region of Nepal, between the Himalayas and the Terai. Hill, forest and farmland predominate, interspersed by numerous villages that continue long after roads stop. Rich vegetation and successions of tree fruits make for a lush and pleasant landscape, occasionally dramatic around the winding Kali Ghandaki river. Shree Karnadhar School sits above the fertile Mahdi Kola valley, also sometimes referred to as the 'White Lake' because of the autumn and winter mists that can envelope it.
The dominant ethnic group in the area are 'Magars'. Their culture is distinctive; their modesty and friendliness typical of the rest of Nepal. Like many other groups they have a separate language, but most speak Nepali, and certainly celebrate fully the numerous festivals that inundate the Nepali calendar.

Tansen

The market town of Tansen is the provincial capital of Palpa. Here most facilities can be found: all kinds of shops, internet cafés, restaurants, taxi services, and a hospital. Most villages also have small shops selling fuel and basic foodstuffs. A daily bus passes the school and Sarai village on its journey (about 1 hour) to Tansen, returning late afternoon. En route to Tansen connections can be made with the numerous services north to Pokhara and south to Butwal, where connections by bus and plane can be made to Kathmandu (see map of Nepal).