February 1, Kathmandu. Ranikot. The name is enough to describe its beauty. This bag of historical significance is equally full of natural beauty.
For some time, Ranikot has fascinated the visitors. Those who enjoy the natural beauty have reached Ranikot. On top of that, the road bed has also helped in this.
Citizens who have been confined to their homes for long periods of time due to corona and woodpeckers come to Ranikot to breathe in the open air and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Ranikot is now considered a suitable destination for hiking. There are some routes for this.
For example, Ashapuri passing through Suryavinayak Ranikot. Phulchoki passing through Suryabinayak Ranikot. Lankuribhanjyang passing through Suryabinayak Ranikot. That is, Ranikot is the midpoint on both sides.
Ranikot is the border destination of Bhaktapur and Panauti. It is also a place of religious and historical significance.
From Ranikot at an altitude of about 2,000 meters above sea level, the Ladtang mountain range including the Kathmandu Valley can be seen in front of the eyes.
Although it is said that there was a palace in Ranikot at some point in history, it has not been confirmed. According to old age, Ranikot was the resting place of kings and emperors.
Although there is no building at present in Ranikot, remnants of old bricks can be seen. The area is also in the news because of the construction of an open zoo in the area.
Ranikot is reached through one of the four Vinayak temples of the valley. The distance from Suryabinayak to Ranikot is 7.2 kilometers. The 6 km road is blacktop and the rest is unpaved road.
While visiting Ranikot, one can also visit Doleshwar Mahadev Temple. One of the four dhams of the Hindus is the temple of Doleshwar Mahadev with the head of Kedarnath. The locals even call it Siparu Mahadev.
There is also a statue of Baghbhairav in Ranikot, which is in the shape of a tiger made of stone, hence it is called Baghbhairav. In Baghbhairav, fairs are held on the full moon of Baisakh and full moon of Mansir.
Due to the dense forest around Ranikot, it is also suitable for bird watching. Recently, Panauti Municipality has declared this area as a bird conservation area. At present, rare birds such as thorny vultures are found in this area.
Complaint of lack of infrastructure development
Ram Sundar Bake, director of Village Highland Resort, complains that the government has not paid attention to the development of its infrastructure, even though Ranikot is a place of natural historical and religious significance. He says that even though the Kathmandu Valley can be seen from here as well as the mountain scenery, it has not been properly publicized.
The historical aspect of Ranikot has not been studied in depth. Necessary infrastructure needs to be prepared for tourism development. About two kilometers of the road is still unpaved and muddy, ‘he says. There is also a problem with the telephone. There is a problem with electricity. It has become difficult to develop tourism as basic services have become inconvenient. Although we have taken initiative in this regard, the concerned bodies have not shown any interest. ‘
