By Belina Thapa
Lamjung, Oct. 31: Tourists have started flocking to Rainaskot, a historical and tourist village in Lamjung district. Number of tourists visiting Rainaskot in Rainas Municipality 9 is increasing day by day although they are not provided accommodation service.
According to the locals, the village has been flooded with tourists since the beginning of Dashain festival. According to Khadka Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Rainaskot Community Homestay, the number of tourists visiting the village is increasing at this time.
Those who are on Dashain leave and those who are staying at home for a long time due to lockdown are coming to Rainaskot for sightseeing. Chairman Gurung said that the village is full of domestic tourists at this time.
"It is the time of festivals. There are many people who have come to the district after lockdown due to coronavirus infection,” he said. “Those who are in leisure time are coming to enjoy the village. About 50 to 100 tourists visit the place on a daily basis.”
They come in the morning and walk around all day and return to their place in the evening. He said that they were urged to visit the village only after adopting health safety measures as there was a risk of coronavirus infection.
Tourists from within the district and from outside the district are visiting the village. According to him, no guest has been given shelter in the village due to the risk of COVID-19.
As the number of tourists is increasing daily, the homestay will be fully opened from November with high caution, said Bishnu Maya Gurung, vice-chairperson of Rainaskot Community Homestay.
According to her, a large number of tourists have been coming to Rainascot since the beginning of Dashain festival. Tourists come by bus, jeep and motorcycle and go straight to the Rainascot Gadhi. Historic Rainascot attracts people from villages to cities and abroad.
Reconstructed after the 2015 earthquake, Rainascot Homestay has become a choice for tourists. The locals greet the visitors with tika made of rice and curd, and flowers. Along with due respect, local organic dishes like local rice, dhido, local liquor, local chicken, goat meat, sukuti, selroti, home-made cauliflower, banda, mushroom, gundruk and soyabean pickles are served to the visitors.
A one-night package of Rs. 850 has been prepared for the guests including dinner, room and breakfast. Homestay is in operation in 14 houses rebuilt after the earthquake.
Rainaskot is considered important from natural, cultural, social, historical and tourist point of view. Good arrangements have been made for the tourists to stay, eat and enjoy the scenery, Gurung said.
According to him, those who reach Rainaskot can observe different peaks, including Buddha, Manaslu, Annapurna, Dr. Hark Himal, Ganesh, Machhapuchhre, Lamjung and about two dozen other mountains.
According to the locals, Rainaskot was the place where Drabya Shah, the youngest son of the then King Yashobrama Shah of Lamjung, lived in the 15th century. It is mentioned in history that he became the king of the region after winning the race in Ligligkot of Gorkha on the other side of Rainaskot.
Rainascot has forts built during the 14th century, local Kalika, Koteshwar Mahadev, Thanimai temple and other forts.
To reach Rainaskot, one can reach Lamjung from Paundi after a three-hour walk and a two-hour drive.