Sunwal


Sunwal is a municipality in Nawalparasi District. It lies in Western Development Region, Lumbini Zone. It was announced as a municipality on 2011 combining two neighboring Village Development Committees; Sunwal and Swathi; of the district. It is the urban core of a rapidly growing urban agglomerate in Nepal. Sunwal is one of the biggest and richest Municipalitiem of Nawalparasi district. Recently, it belongs to the State no.5 under new constitution.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census Sunwal had a population of 39846 people living in 8639 individual households. After the announcement of the municipality by combining two VDCs, the total population of Sunwal Municipality became more than 60,000, which is the highest in Nawalparasi district. Swathi alone had a population of 10629 with 2102 individual households at the time of the 2011 Nepal census.
Sunwal consists of people of mixed groups and castes; these include Pahari immigrants from nearby hill districts especially Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Parbat, Gulmi, Syangja and others and people of Terai origin.
Hindus in the majority celebrate Holi, Teej, Maha Shivratri, Dashain, Tihar and Bhai Tika. There are also Buddhists and Muslims. There is a good relationship among different religious and ethnic community which can be seen during festivals.
Nepali and English are the common languages spoken in Sunwal. Gurung, Magar, Newar and Tharu people speak native languages in their community.
English is not used much; however, most of the young and middle-aged population can communicate well in English.

Economy

The economy of Sunwal centers around trade, services and industries. Numerous wholesale and retail shops sell Chinese and Indian goods in these markets. Besides modern shopping, a traditional form of market called Haat Bazar runs twice a week on Sunday and Tuesdays in Sunwal Bazar and Naduwa Bazar respectively. Usually, farmers directly sell to the retail customers in this market in a dusty and busy market setup.
One of the largest sugar factories in Nepal, Lumbini Sugar Industry, which was made by China's support, is here. Many international tourists and internal visitors come here for educational visits.
Other large scale industries such as Laxmi Steels Factory and Butwal Cement Industry are located here. Three distillery factories run here. Many small and cottage industries also do business here.
The service based economy is centred around banking and education. An increasing number of people are involved in jobs in these sectors. About a dozen banking and financial institutions are operating here. More than two dozen co-operative societies are also playing a role in increasing the financial and investment opportunity among stakeholders and the upliftment of rural areas.
Sunwal is the urban core of an upcoming urban agglomerate comprising the nearby municipalities of Devdaha, Ramgram, Bardaghat and VDCs such as Ramnagar. Together, these make up an urban continuum, and the region as a whole has an increasingly large contribution to the national economy. Ramgram is the headquarters of Nawalparasi and near the international border and customs point with India at Maheshpur and connected to Siddharthanagar through Bhumahi-Bhairahawa By-Pass Road. Bardaghat is also a municipality formed recently and is the gateway to the religious and tourist site, Triveni. Devdaha is an emerging city in Rupandehi district.
Sunwal is also a city, which is connected to the nearby tourist areas of Ramagrama stupa, Triveni, Tansen, Kapilvastu and Lumbini. It is also the gateway to the nearby cities of Butwal, Ramgram and Bharatpur.

Transport

in Siddharthanagar is the nearest airport from Sunwal connecting to Kathmandu. It has regular flights to Kathmandu. It is also in the construction phase for being upgraded into a regional international airport. One can go to Siddharthanagar from Sumwal through Sunwal-Parasi-Bhairahawa road.
Sunwal Municipality is connected with Mahendra Highway. Mahendra Highway connects Sunwal to Kankarbhitta in the east to Bhimdatta in the west of the country. Tanka Prasad Acharya Marga, is also one of the important highways. Sunwal is connected to Palpa district by new developing road transport called Sunwal-Gothadi Marga. Sunwal is 21 km east of Mahendra Highway from Butwal Sub-Metropolitan Municipality.
Buses are the dominant form of transportation. Private operators offer service to various destinations that departs from Butwal. Since 2003, operators have added newer minibuses, popularly called micro, for local transport service, with routes Butwal-Sunwal-Bhumahi-Bardaghat. Older jeeps are used to take people to nearby hilly regions. Rickshaws are used for short-distance urban transport. E-rickshaws were also introduced here in 2014 for the city area. Motorcycles are a common means of personal transportation around town.
Madhya-Nepal Transport Association, Sunwal is the operator of transport services based in Sunwal and operates its services to different regions of Nawalparasi and rupendehi district such as Bhumahi-Jargaha, Sukhaura-Jargaha-Butwal, Sunwal-Parasi, Sunwal-Parasi-Maheshpur, Sunwal-Parasi-Bhairahawa, and Sunwal-Parasi-Triveni, Sunwal-Mahalpokhari. Its head office is in Sunwal and branch offices in different cities.

Education

There are many public and private secondary and higher-secondary schools. Some campuses are also established for different bachelor-level programmes. The major schools and colleges are as follows:
Higher secondary Schools
Colleges
This is a stupa located in Ramgram Municipality, some 11 km far from Sunwal. The regular jeep and bus goes from Sunwal. This Buddhist pilgrimage site, which was constructed some 2500 years BCE, contains relics of Gautama Buddha.
According to Buddhist texts, after Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, his cremated remains were divided and distributed among the princes of eight of the sixteen mahājanapadās. Each of the princes constructed a stupa at or near his capital city, within which the respective portion of the ashes was enshrined. One of them was Rāmagrāma, a major city of the Koliya kingdom at that time.
Some 300 years later, Emperor Ashoka opened seven of these stupas and removed the Buddha relics. According to legend, the Naga serpent king was guarding the Ramagrama stupa, and prevented Ashoka from unearthing the relic.
To this day, Ramagrama stupa remains the only intact and original stupa containing relics of Lord Buddha. The stupa has been an object of great reverence and pilgrimage site since its original construction. The high stupa is now buried under a mound of earth and is awaiting further research.
The historical and religious site of Nepal situated 6 km west of Sunwal, is best known for the maternal home of lord Gautam Buddha. Kheirani, Bhawanipur, Bairimai, Kan yamai, Khayardanda etc. are the places of interest. Aap Khola' where people go for swimming and to obtain water during droughts. There is a view of nearby Manakamana Temple.
The winter palace of Palpali Sen clan is notable from natural and archaeological values. There are ruins and antiquities of the palace of Manimukunda Sen an ancient Palpali king containing 6 large rooms as well as royal residence, administrative and grandeur of Butwal, Siddharthanagar and other neighbouring villages of Rupandehi district can be vividly seen from here at night also. His Majesty's Government, archaeological department has attempted to maintain it in 1991. Now Butwal municipality has formed council for the conservation of Manimukunda Sen Park to conduct Phulbari Development Programme and attempted to make it an amusing and a tourist resort.
It is located on hills at the border of Butwal Municipality. Devotees believe that Siddha Baba will grant their wishes and offer pigeons at the temple. On Saturdays, the weekly holiday in Nepal, large number of devotees visit this temple and special microbus services are offered.