Belbari

Belbari बेलबारी
Municipality
Belbari Location in Nepal
Coordinates: 26°40′N 87°26′E / 26.67°N 87.43°ECoordinates: 26°40′N 87°26′E / 26.67°N 87.43°E
Country	Nepal
Zone	Kosi Zone
District	Morang District
Population (2011)
• Total	24,076 (Male: 11,038; Female: 13,038)
Time zone	Nepal Time (UTC+5:45)

Belbari, (Nepali: बेलबारी) officially known as Belbari municipality, is one of the major suburbs of Morang district, Koshi Zone.It lies in the eastern Terai region of Nepal. It was officially upgraded to become a municipality in 2014 AD, which is 2070 BS (Bikram Sambat), which otherwise was a Village Development Committee (VDC) prior to that change.^[1][2] In order to meet the requirements to become a municipality, Belbari VDC merged Kaseni VDC with itself, making it larger in total area. Belbari spreads over an approximate area of 25 square miles. All of the area is plane land, geographically. It is bordered on North and East by the largest and the densest forest of Nepal, the Char Koshe Jhadi (Literal translation: Four Yard Bush). It is bounded on the northeast by Char Koshe Jhadi, while to the east lies another suburb, Laxmimarga. Similarly, the north part is bounded by Kerabari VDC and Letang municipality, while to the west and southwest lie the Kosiharaincha municipality and Kaseni VDC. As of 2011 Nepal census the total population of Belbari was 24076, which included 5724 households.^[3] However, the data reflects population size prior to it being upgraded to a municipality. So, after announcing Belbari as municipality from the VDC, the number of households and census should be regarded as more than the mentioned data.

Etymology

The name Belbari derived from two different Nepali names "Bel" and "Bari", i.e. "बेल" र "बारी"= बेलबारी. In English, Bel is called wood-apple. Elephant apple and monkey fruit are its other name. Its scientific name is Limonia acidissima. Bel is a native tree native of Nepal, and Bari means a dry land(s). So as a myth, it is believed among older generations that the name Belbari means "the land of the Bel(s)" (Bel-nai-bel bhayeko thau). Religiously, the Bel leaves have its own value in Hindu religion for sacred purpose. Especially leaves of Bel use in the worship, rituals and temples. Basically, for the worship fulpati should be prepared, fulpati is a variety of mixed flowers along-with the leaves of Bel which is sacred thing for the God and Goddess. Some ethnic people Rai, Limbu and Dhimal also use Bel's leaves in their rituals such as dhami/jharki (Shamans) of Rais and Limbus, and Bhumi Puja (worship of the earth) of Dhimals. Today Bel trees can be found in the Charkose Jhadi.

Early history

There is not exactly known when the people were first inhabited in Belbari. However, since the end of 19th century, the Dhimals were started to settle on this region. Dhimals are one of the first aboriginal inhabitants of this lowland region who speak a Tibeto-Burman language. Not only Belbari but many lowland plain areas of Morang and Jhapa were their ancestral land. Although Dhimals are the first inhabitants of Belbari, there is no any exact literature about their place of origin. However, in a famous myth, Dhimals are the ancestral brothers of one of the major indigenous/tribe lived in eastern hills, Limbu, but Dhimals hardly accept to the myth. According to the myth, a Limbu spouse, resided in hill, had two sons. One of them stayed in the hill and next one went to the Tarai for land cultivation for the livelihood purpose by deforesting dense forest, Charkose Jhadi. The brother who came into Tarai became Dhimal tribe later. Now more than 30000 Dhimal population is available in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. To some extent both tribes have physically similar facial structure but due to the lack of source of information it has been just confined as a historical myth.

Production and livelihood systems

Belbari municipality is mainly characterized by strong terrain and fertile land, where the larger flatland is compulsorily using for farming system. Due to the dense forest resource, a number of small streams and wetland, for instance Amuna khola, Sisauli Khola and Betana wetland, are available in this area and those water resources help to the larger flatland for farming system. Paddy, maize, wheat, mustard, varieties of vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, ginger, onion are the principal crops grown in this area. Many varieties of paddy are planted in irrigated terraces in two seasons in a single year. In two seasons, during April to September, the fields are using for paddy and maize primarily, farmers are most busy on that period. The paddy is ready for harvesting again in November which is one of the next busiest season for the farmers of Belbari. Although Belbari is semi-urban, most of the people are engaging in agricultural work for their livelihood purpose. They also do practice adequate livestock works which enable them to manure the farming lands as well as milk production for themselves or market purpose. In addition to this, some people do business in market areas. Groceries, fancy outlets, medicals, hotel, restaurants, shops of home appliances, hardware for home construction, vegetable/fruit shops, etc. are the key outlets can be seen as business purpose. Nevertheless, the another main source of their income is remittance. Many youths of Belbari are in Gulf countries, for instance, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arab, and Bahrain are main. Besides, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, USA, Europe, Japan and South Korea are also the major destinations of source of remittance. People of Belbari can be found in less number for developed countries like USA, UK, South Korea, Japan and Europe. It can be considered that remittance is one of the central pillar of livelihood source of majority households, created by the latest young generation of Belbari. At least, its impacts can be seen all over the flat lands of Belbari that are occupied from the growing housing construction and urbanization process towards the recognition of well-being Belbari.

Belbari haat nazaar

Belbari haat bazaar (local market), often known also Belbari pasu-haat (livestock market), is one of the center-attraction of this municipality that conducting every Monday of the week. Belbari haat bazaar is one of the biggest and famous bazaar of Morang district too. On every Monday thousands of people come to the market for shopping, drinking, and enjoying. People come from various places, such as Laxmimarga, Kerabari, Letang, Ghangharu, Naksalbari, Barradangi, Telkudi, Mainabari, Dharahara, Lalvitti, Dangihat, Biratchowk, Khorsane, etc. are the major places from which people visit Belbari haat bazar every Monday. Vendors are come from far distance such as Itahari, Duhabi, Dharan, Inarwa, Pathri, Urlabari, etc. In the bazar, almost all vendors sell their goods/items by disseminating on the ground. Generally, vegetables, garments, animals, liquor, meat and fishes, grocery items, etc. are the key stuffs that are buying and selling on the day of haat-bazar. The market place of livestock is separate than other general markets. That pasu haat is known as the famous livestock market of Morang district. However, there is no any concrete evidences regarding from when Belbari haat bazaar was formally started. It can only be assumed that this bazaar started since 2030 Bikram Sambat (about 40 years back) while a large number of people were started in-migrating gradually from different hill districts, mainly from Dhankuta and then Bhojpur, Terathum, Khotang, and Panchthar were other districts.

Belbari haat bazaar has created more attraction to the economically middle and lower class of groups either they are sellers or buyers because of their easy financial access for the marketing activities. However, for the vegetable and fish-meat market, the aforementioned generalization cannot be applicable because all classes, from upper to lower, need to be consumed vegetables and meat items necessarily. More importantly, middle and the lower class of people are interested to consume on garments, liquor, handicrafts, grocery items and lower standard electronic goods. The upper class people do not buy these items in Belbari haat bazaar. Female are comparatively higher in numbers to visit Belbari haat bazaar for shopping with comparison to the male. While in the local-liquor shop, male and female can be found equal in numbers as seller and consumers. Tentatively more than twelve thousands people visit for trading every Monday in Belbari haat bazaar.

References

1. 72 new municipalities announced My Republica
2. Govt announces 72 new municipalities The Kathmandu Post
3. Template:Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). 2014. National Population and Housing Census 2011: Village Development Committee/Municipality, Morang