Tansen

Tansen is a Municipality and the administrative center of Palpa District in the "hills" of western Nepal. It is located on the highway between Butwal and Pokhara, on the crest of the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya overlooking the valley of the Kaligandaki River to the north.The town enjoys a moderate climate with temperatures rarely exceeding 30 Celsius (86F) or going below freezing. The highway bypasses the town center on the west, protecting pedestrian amenities in the central maze of steep, narrow, winding alleys lined with Newari shop-Houses and temples. Besides trade, local Newars are known for traditional metalwork and producing dhaka cloth used in traditional jackets and topis. The most important landmark is the octagonal Pavilion in the middle of Sitalpati, the main market square. Tansen is well known for its Education system as Palpa district's literacy rate is 100 %. It is the home of Karunwa.

Tansen was the capital of the Magar kingdom Tanahun, one of the most powerful regional principalities before the rise of the Shah dynasty. It even came close to conquering Kathmandu in the 16th century under the leadership of Mukunda Sen. Local Magar kings lost influence in the 18th century and Tansen became a Newari bazaar on the important trade route between India and Tibet via the Kaligandaki River and Mustang. Because it was a district administrative center of the Kingdom of Nepal, Maoists targeted Tansen several times during the Nepalese Civil War, including a major assault on the historic Durbar (palace) compound in 2006.