ChillNepal team9 Oct 2026 1 min read
The name Dailekh is said to derive from 'Dadhi Lekh' — the hill where the ancient sage Dadhichi meditated — or alternatively from 'Daibalok', a place of the Devatas. Dailekh was part of the Khasa Kingdom during the 12th to 14th century, whose ancient capital and powerful town was the Sinja Valley. After the fall of the Khasa Kingdom it fragmented into many small kingdoms, and in the pre-unification Karnali region Dailekh became one of the Baise Rajya, the twenty-two principalities. The district spans about 1,505 km² and recorded a population of 253,319 in the 2021 census.
Researched by the ChillNepal team from published sources. Spot something out of date? Tell us from the place's page.
