Eastern Rukum District

Himalayas has been a melting pot of diverse tribes and cultures after the periods of early human migrations of homo-sapiens. Presence of highly-rich Magar culture with a complex of Kham Magar language of Tibeto-Burman Languages family suggests that the region was along the ancient migration routes of tribes out of Tibet. In addition to this, being on the northern corridor of the Indian sub-continent, the region was also on the radius of the Indus valley civilization and influences of various warring tribes and empires such as Kirata Kingdom, Kushan Empire (Ancient Greek: Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν), Gupta Empire, Maurya Empire, Nanda Empire, Karkota Empire, Utpala dynasty, and Khasa Kingdom.[10] After the initial Muslim conquests spanning out of Arabian lands, western Himalayas also served as the refuge and protection to numerous non-Muslim tribes fleeing their homelands in Persia, Afghanistan (Oxiana), Sindh, Kashmir and northern India who assimilated themselves among the locals .[11] The Khas language (of Indo-European languages family) of the Khasa Kingdom later became the lingua Franca of Nepal after national unification. With east-west Dhorpatan valley south of the Himalayas, eastern Rukum was also a historic migration route and crossroad for these tribes to move eastwards.

With the conquest of the district as a part of the national unification campaign, the region was merged with the kingdom of Nepal during the time of Bahadur Shah of Nepal and Rana Bahadur Shah (1777-1799). Though successful in maintaining various levels of autonomy, independence and preservation of Kham Magar culture even during ancient and medieval Nepal, the region´s structure were altered during the aristocracy of Rana dynasty as well as during Panchayat (Nepal). Before 1975, substantial eastern portion was territorially merged with Palpa district during Rana dynasty and with Baglung District or Dolpa District during the state reconstruction during Shah Dynasty[8][9] respectively. Formerly, Eastern Rukum District was part of Rukum District, which was split into two districts western and Eastern Rukum after the state's reconstruction of administrative divisions as of 20 September 2015.

During the centuries long Shah dynasty and Rana Dynasty rule of Nepal, numerous young women of this region were made Queens (Bada Maharani) and wives of the dynasties through royal marriages, locally known as "Dola Palne" tradition:[12] Queen Purna Kumari Devi,[13] the wife of a Rana Prime Minister; Queen Karma Kumari Devi, the wife of Prime Minister Dev Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana and foster mother of Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,[12] as well as son-in-laws for the royalties such as in the case of Shova Rajya Lakshmi Devi (Princess Shova Shahi of Nepal), the sister of King Birendra of Nepal and the youngest daughter of king Mahendra of Nepal, among others.

Shiva Temple built by a Rana Queen of Nepal, Rani Purna Kumari Devi, who was born here.

Researchers point out that due to lasting feudalism, aristocracy, social inequality and slow development within the district, there was a growing dissatisfaction of the larger public towards the nobles.[14] As a result, eastern Rukum became some of the earliest communist stronghold of the country during the 20th century.[15] Not surprisingly, it also became the heartland of Nepalese Civil War (Maoist revolution) against land inequality, ethnic inequality, feudalism and aristocracy from 1996 till 2006, ultimately resulting in the end of 240 year old Monarchy and turning of the country into a democratic Federal republic.

Mount Patan, Eastern Rukum

Mount Putha (Dhaulagiri VII), Eastern Rukum

Among many mountains of the district, the most famous peaks are Mount Putha and Mount Sisne. Mount Putha is also the tallest mountain of Lumbini Province situated in the west end of Dhaulagiri II mountain chain, at an elevation of 7,246 meters. It was first climbed in 1954 by J. O. M. Roberts and Ang Nyima Sherpa.[19]

Another prominent mountain is Mount Sisne at the north. Locally known as Mount Patan (Hiunchuli Patan), Sisne or Murkatta Himal, the mountain has an elevation of 5,849 meters.

Mount Sisne was frequently featured in the literatures of civil war, as a symbol of the people´s revolution and became an iconic landmark to revolutionaries during the 1996–2006 Nepal Civil War. In 2013, the mountain was first successfully ascended by a Nepalese expedition led by Man Bahadur Khatri.[20]

The following are the prominent peaks of the district:

Mount Sisne

• Mount Putha। (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Putha ।। (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Sisne । (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Sisne ।। (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Dogari (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Samjang (Location : Dhaulagiri)

• Mount Nimku (Location : Dhaulagiri)

With 52 lakes in Rukumkot alone, the district has substantial quantity of water bodies and rivers in proportion to its size. Most of the district is drained by west-flowing tributaries such as Uttar Ganga draining Dhorpatan Valley and to the north of that the Sani Bheri draining southern slopes of the western Dhaulagiri Himalaya.

River view during sunset from Rukumkot

Among many lakes, Rukmini Lake has been the centerpeice in the district. Named after Rukmini, the consort of Krishna, Rukmini Lake also known as Lotus Lake (Nepali: Kamal Taal) because of its fullness with lotus flowers (Nelumbo nucifera). The lake holds a religious and sacred importance to the locals due to which huge gathering occurs during the festivals of Maha Shivaratri, Dashain, Maghe Sankranti and Haritalika Teej.

Rukmini Lake