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Path: Photos > Tansen and Daman Loop
Tags: Nepal 2016

Tansen and Daman Loop

(vero;2017-May-01)

We also have a blog entry about this great road trip which led us from Pokhara to Kathmandu via Tansen, Hetauda and Daman.

Tansen. This octogonal pavillion, called Sital Pati, is a popular spot where locals like to meet for a chat or have a rest after shopping. It was built for public functions at the end of the 19th century; the then governor and officials used the ramp on the right of the building to mount their elephants. Nowadays it is a perfect place for people watching.

Tansen. The Durbar palace was built in 1927 for the governors of the Palpa district. It was later used as the district administration headquarters and was as such heavily damaged in 2006 during the civil war which followed the Maoist insurgency. It is now in the process of being rebuilt and will eventually host a museum. It is accessible from Sital Pati through a huge gateway, so tall that the governor could ride through it mounted on his elephant.

Man wearing the typical Nepalese hat, called “dhaka topi”. Dhaka refers to the design of the fabric, which is also used for other parts of clothing with the distinctive stripe and colour scheme. Topi simply means hat and is the short name for this kind of headdress.

In Nepal, dhaka topis and garments are traditionally manufactured in the district of Palpa and the town of Tansen, so it is no surprise to find many shops in the town selling the famous cloth.

Dhaka is usually produced in hand looms set in Nepali homes or small workshops. However, while strolling through the town we came across a factory manufacturing dhaka fabrics on ancient Jacquard looms. Note how each loom is set into the ground to fit in the room. Jacquard looms have been invented in 1804 and are using a system of punched cards to automate the patterning of garment. You can see a chain of such cards hanging down on the left side of the left loom.

Woman weaving a typical dhaka garment. Note the punched cards on the top left of the machine, the different coloured thread reels and the shuttle with red thread on the right.

The Amar Narayan temple, dedicated to Vishnu was built in 1807 and is Tansen's most famous temple. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful temples outside the Kathmandu Valley.

Amar Narayan temple. Close-up of the lower tier with its intricately carved doors and adorned columns.

The Amar Narayan temple is very famous for the erotic scenes carved on the roof struts and the alternating skulls and animal heads on the lintel.

Amar Narayan temple. Details of some of the sculptured wooden columns.

Amar Narayan temple. Close-up on some of the carvings.

Amar Narayan temple. Detail of the lintel above the door leading to the shrine.

Amar Narayan temple. The adorned deity inside the shrine.

Amar Narayan temple. Garuda, the mount of Lord Vishnu in front of the temple shrine.

Public fountain and washing place outside the Amar Narayan temple. Many houses do not have running water and this place is always busy with people fetching water or washing their clothes and even themselves.

During the day, Tansen is filled with joints or carts selling tasty fried snacks. It is more difficult to find food in the evening: the shops are closing early and food disappears quickly from the streets.

A popular walking destination in Tansen is Ranighat palace, located dramatically on the banks of the Kali Gandaki river.

Ranighat palace was built in 1893 by Khadga Samsher Rana, then governor of Palpa, in the memory of his beloved wife Tej Kumari Devi. This earned the building the nickname of Taj Mahal of Nepal. When the governor fled Nepal for India with his family in 1902, the palace was left unoccupied and started slowly to fall into disrepair. There are now plans to rebuild it to its original splendor.

The landscape around Tansen is hilly with terraced fields and villages dotted along the slopes and ridges.

Farmhouse near Tansen. Note the big white water tank on the side.

Tansen's bus station. The town is an important hub for local traffic to the surrounding hills. Most long distance buses do not drive directly to Tansen: passengers have to disembark at the settlement of Bartung, the Tansen junction on the main road, and ascend the last 5 km with another bus, a jeep or a taxi.

Tansen is famous for its “white lake”, a sea of clouds often forming in the morning and hiding the valley from sight while Tansen stays over the cloud cover. We could observe it as we left Tansen. The picture is taken from the bus in the early morning hours which explains the poor quality.

Daman. The small resort lies in the middle of woods and green slopes, there were nice orchids to be seen on the road side.

Daman. Women coming back from the woods where they collect leaves used as fertiliser in the fields and gardens.

Daman. View down on Palung and surroundings during our walk from Daman.

Daman. Close-up on Palung.

Palung. Colourful lodges at the end of the village.

Palung. Fields of marigold were bringing colour to the scenery.

Daman. You don't need to go to the paying “viewing tower” to admire the Himalayas. It is much more fun to find a good spot on the ridge and share the view with the locals.

Daman. View of Manaslu from the ridge.

Photo of the hills taken during the bus drive from Daman to Naubise.

Go back to Lower Mustang or go on to Salleri Saturday Market or go up to Photos

$ updated from: Photos.htxt Sun 24 May 2026 15:57:27 trvl2 — Copyright © 2026 Vero and Thomas Lauer unless otherwise stated | All rights reserved $