Bajura District ( ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven

districts of Nepal Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided into municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal. After the 2015 reform of administrat ...

. The district, with Martadi (today part of Badimalika municipality) as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 108,781 in 2001 and 134,912 in 2011. The annual rainfall is about 13,433 mm and temperatures vary from 0 °C to 40 °C. The livelihood of more than 80% of the district population depends on agriculture farming, mainly small scale livestock. Due to low level of agricultural production, the majority of the households face acute food shortages for a large part of the year. According to the National Census 2011, the total population of the district is 134,912 comprising 69,106 female (51%) and 65,806 male (49%) residing in 24,908 households. Bajura district has an average population density of around 62 people per square km. The average family size is 5.4. Life expectancy of the people is 58 years. The average literacy rate is about 32%. Bajura district has a multi ethnic composition with Chhetri, Kami, Thakuri, Brahman, Damai, SarkI and Sanyashi (Giri and Puri). The common language is Nepali (96%) followed by Bhote Sherpa (0.46%) and Tamang (0.42%). Although accessibility to Bajura is very poor, this is improving rapidly. The Government strategy is mainly focused on the connection of VDC headquarters with all-weather motor able roads to SRN or District headquarters. Moreover, the DDC body of Bajura district has given higher priority on rural roads.

Geography and Climate

The district has nine

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

, 9 ''Ilakas'' (administrative areas) and 1 constituency areas. The district is situated in

Longitude Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east- west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek lett ...

between 81° 10′ 20″ to 81° 48′ 27″ East and

Latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...

29° 16′ 21″ to 29° 56′ 56″ North. Geographically the district is divided in three distinct regions from north to south viz. Higher Himalayan Region, Higher Mountain and mid – Mountains. The Higher Himalayan region comprises Saipal Himalayan range; High Mountain region comprises Doha Lekh and Ghori Lekh. Similarly, Mid-Mountain range comprises different ranges of mountains e.g. Badimalika Temple. The District has started from 300m to 6400m in height.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Bajura District had a population of 134,912. As their first language, 99.2% spoke Nepali, 0.5% Sherpa, 0.1% Tamang and 0.1% other languages. Ethnicity/caste: 57.8% were

Chhetri Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali language, Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of ...

, 9.8%

Kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...

, 7.0% Hill Brahmin, 5.2% Thakuri, 5.0% Sarki, 4.2% Damai/Dholi, 3.9% Lohar, 2.4% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.4% Badi, 1.0% Bhote, 0.9% other

Dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...

, 0.3% Kumal, 0.2% Teli, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Magar, 0.1% Mallaha, 0.1% Musalman, 0.1% Tamang, 0.1% other Terai, 0.1% Tharu and 0.2% others. Religion: 98.7% were

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 1.1%

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, 0.1%

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

and 0.1%

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

, Literacy: 55.4% could read and write, 2.5% could only read and 42.1% could neither read nor write.

Administration

The district consists of nine

, out of which four are urban municipalities and five are rural municipalities. These are as follows: * Badimalika Municipality * Triveni Municipality * Budhiganga Municipality * Budhinanda Municipality * Gaumul Rural Municipality * Jagnnath Rural Municipality * Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality * Chhededaha Rural Municipality * Himali Rural Municipality

Former Village Development Committees

Prior to the restructuring of the district, Bajura District consisted of the following Village development committees: * Atichaur * Baddhu * Bahrabis * Bichhiya * Bramhatola * Budhiganga * Chhatara * Dahakot * Dogadi * Gotri * Gudukhati *

Jagannath Jagannath (; formerly ) is a Hindu deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with (Krishna's) brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, '' Purushot ...

* Jayabageshwari * Jugada * Kailashmandau * Kanda * Kolti * Kotila * Kuldeumadau * Manakot * Martadi * Pandusain * Rugin * Sappata * Tolidewal * Wai * Jukot

Health care

The small health centres in many VDCs are without Auxiliary Health Workers (AHWs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs). Primary or normal treatment can be done in the district headquarters and also in Bayalpata Hospital of neighbouring district Accham while people seeking severe cases have to travel a long distance to Kathmandu or other major cities or end up dying because of lack of treatment. Many people still believe in Dhami and Jhakri and do not always seek medical or go to the hospital for treatment. An NGO, PHASE Nepal provides many health care facilities and training programs to six VDCs: Kolti, Wai, Kotila, Pandusain, Rugin and Bandhu. Many people residing in these VDCs have benefited from the program. Currently PHASE Nepal is working on several projects in this district including community health and education, livelihood, hygiene, sanitation and diarrhoea mitigation programmes. PHASE Nepal also conduct education programs like teacher training and girls empowerment programme.

Colleges and School in Bajura

Martadi, Bajura * Bajura Multiple Campus It is a constituent campus of Far Western University, Nepal and has been conditioning the bachelor level and Masters Level programs Under the faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Education and Management * Badimalika English Boarding School * Shree Mosteshwori Lower Secondary School Chaurata * Converse Academy * Shree Malika Higher Secondary School * Creater Zone Academy Kolti, Bajura * Shree Jana Prakash Higher Secondary School Naubis, Bajura * Shree Bhanodaya higher Secondary School * Badimalika Multiple Campus It is a constituent campus of Far Western University and It is conducting the Bachelor's level program BBS, BEd & B.A. Triveni, Bajura * Ratna Higher Secondary School, Seliphal, Bajura. It was established in 2022 BS, it recently started offering +2 level program in

Humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

and Education stream. * Masteshwori Higher Secondary School, Pandhara, Bajura. The school is providing plus two level program in

and Education stream. * Tolidewal Danda Secondary School, Toli, Bajura. Tolidewal School

The school is providing plus two level program in

and Education stream. * Tribhuwaneshwari Secondary School, Chhatara, Bajura. The school is providing plus two level program in Management and Education stream. * Shree Parvati Secondary School, Paima, Bajura * Nateshwori Secondary School, Khripata, Bajura * Damtha Secondary School, Kailashmandu Bajura * Bajura Model Academy, Khirpata Bajura

Bahrabis, Bajura * Shree Trishakti Higher Secondary School, Tallakot, Bajura The school is providing plus two level education in Management and Education faculty.

Photos of Bajura

File:Army Camp.jpg, View of Army Camp File:View of mountain.jpg, view of mountain from Martadi Bajar File:Badi Malika Temple & Patan Pooja Bajura Nepal.jpg, Badi Malika Temple & Patan Pooja File:Triveni Bajura.jpg, Triveni, Holy river visited before Badimalika