Dang Valley was a lake approximately 2.5 to 1 million years ago, and has yielded Sivapithecus (Ramapithecus) fossils plus Acheulean hand axes (1.8 million-100,000 years old) along the Babai River, studied by Tribhuvan University since 1966 and German researchers in 1984-86. Since ancient times the valley has been inhabited by the indigenous Tharu people (the Dangaura Tharus), and for over 1,300 years it was a focal pilgrimage and shelter place of the Nath sect, the followers of Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath - hence its fame as 'the land of the Gorakhnath yogis'. Medieval records show Khasa domination, a 1336 AD land grant to Jayakar Pundit, Chauhan kings from 1350 AD (Meghraj Singh Chauhan), and the last independent king Nawal Singh Chauhan ruling from Chaughera until 1760, when Prithvi Narayan Shah annexed the valley; it was given as dowry to the King of Salyan in 1763 and finally merged into unified Nepal around 1808. Koilabas was a major trading post with India before the Rapti Bridge and Mahendra Highway, and retains Persian Mughal-style architecture in its ruins.
Researched by the ChillNepal team from published sources. Spot something out of date? Tell us from the place's page.
