Pyuthan District

Pyuthan borders Dang Deukhuri District to the southwest along the crest of the Mahabharat Range and extends about 50 km (31 mi) northeast through the Middle Hills to a 3,000+ meter ridge that is both Pyuthan's border with Baglung district of Dhaulagiri Zone and the main watershed between the (west) Rapti and Gandaki River basins.^[2] Pyuthan borders Rolpa district to the west. Of the two upper tributaries of the West Rapti River, Pyuthan contains all of Jhimruk Khola and the lower part of Madi Khola after it exits Rolpa. The Madi-Jhimruk confluence is in southern Pyuthan, in the Mahabharat Range.^[3]

The valley of Jhimruk Khola is the core of Pyuthan district. Its alluvial plain is intensively planted in rice during the summer monsoon. Wheat is grown as the winter crop. Madi Khola has eroded an inner gorge and is less suited to traditional irrigated agriculture.

At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Pyuthan District had a population of 232,019. 9.28% of the population is under 5 years of age. It has a literacy rate of 80.13% and a sex ratio of 1228 females per 1000 males. 74,167 (31.97%) lived in municipalities..^[5]

Khas people make up a majority of the population with 59% of the population. Hill Janjatis make up 38% of the population, of which Magars are 34%, Kumal 2% and Gurung 1%. Newars are 2% of the population.^[6]

At the time of the 2021 census, 94.87% of the population spoke Nepali and 3.36% Magar as their first language.^[7] In 2011, 96.2% of the population spoke Nepali as their first language.^[8]

Population by Census 1971-2011

^[10][11]

Pyuthan district is divided into 9 local level bodies in which two are municipalities and seven are rural municipalities:

Municipality

• Pyuthan Municipality
• Sworgadwari Municipality

Rural Municipality

• Gaumukhi Rural Municipality
• Mandavi Rural Municipality
• Sarumarani Rural Municipality
• Mallarani Rural Municipality
• Naubahini Rural Municipality
• Jhimruk Rural Municipality
• Airawati Rural Municipality

Former VDCs

• Arkha
• (Bagdula), Bandikot, Bangemarkot, Bangesal, Baraula, Barjibang, Belbas, Bhingri, Bijaya Nagar, Bijuli, Bijuwar
• Chunja
• Dakha Kwadi, Damri, Dangbang, Dharampani, Dharmawati, Dhobaghat, Dhubang, Dhungegadhi
• Gothibang
• Hansapur
• Jumrikanda
• Khabang, Khaira, Pyuthan Municipality, Khung, Kochibang, (Kwadi)
• Libang, Ligha, Lung
• Majhakot, Maranthana, Markabang
• Narikot, Naya Gaun
• Okharkot
• Pakala, Phopli, Puja
• Rajbara, Ramdi, Raspurkot, (Ratamata)
• (Sapdanda), Sari, Swargadwarikhal, Syaulibang
• (Tikuri), Tiram, Torbang, Tusara
• (Udayapurkot)
• Pandeydada khalanga

^[12]

• Airabati, Asurkot
• Bandhikot, Bhagawati Temple, Bhawaniswari Temple, Bhimsensthan, Bhimsen Temple (Kutichaur), Bhimsen Temple (Megazun), Bhimsen Temple (Bijbazar), Bhitrikot Cave, Bhitrikot Durbar, Bhringri Kot, Bhumesthan (Khaira), Bijulikot, Birdisthan
• Chhetrapal Temple
• Devi Bhagawati, Devi Bhagawati Temple, Devi Temple, Dhunge Gadhi, Dubanasthan
• Ganesh Temple, Ganeshsthan, Gaumukhi, Gorakhnath Temple (Khaira), Gorakhnath Temple (Dakha Kwadi), Gorakhnath Temple (Bijbazar)
• Jalpadevi Temple, (Bijbazar – Bhagwati), Jalpadevi Temple (Bijbazar), Jhankristhan (Khaira)
• Kalidevi Temple, Kali Temple, Kalika Malika, Khadga Devata Temple, Khalanga Shivalaya, Khungrikot
• Laxmi Narayan Temple
• Masta Mandau, Mehelnath Temple
• Okharkot
• Phalaharisthan, Pyuthan Magazine
• Radha Krishna Temple, Rameswar Temple, Rani Pauwa
• Saraswati Temple, Sarikot, Shiva Temple (Khaira), Shiva Temple (Lung), Shiva Temple (Bangeshal), Shiva Temple (Khalanga), Shivalaya, Siddha Devatasthan (Belbas), Siddha Sansarsthan (Dakha Kwadi)
• Swargadwari—a hilltop temple complex and pilgrimage site celebrating the importance of cows in Hinduism—is located in the southern part of Pyuthan.
• Tatopani Shivalaya, Tripurasundari, Tusharakot Isnasthan
• Udayapur Kot
• Pandeydada khalanga Shree Satyadevi Bhagwati Mandir, 12-bhai Baraha Dev Mandir