Town or village · 100 m
Lahan
The largest town in Siraha district, a busy East-West Highway hub known across the region for its eye hospital.
Madhesh Provinceसिराहा
Siraha District
A Mithila district of the eastern Terai, known for the Salhesh Phulbari shrine and the highway market town of Lahan.
- Province
- Madhesh
- Headquarters
- Siraha
- Area
- about 1,144 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 3
About Siraha
Siraha lies in the eastern part of Madhesh Province, with Dhanusha to the west across the Kamala River, Saptari to the east, Udayapur to the north and Bihar in India to the south. The northern edge rises into the low Chure hills, while the rest of the district is flat, cultivated Terai. Lahan and Mirchaiya sit on the East-West Highway.
Maithili is the main language, and the district shares the customs, art and festivals of Mithila. Agriculture is the main livelihood, with Lahan acting as the busiest trading town. Visitors mainly come for Salhesh Phulbari, a garden shrine linked to the folk hero King Salhesh, or pass through on the way to Janakpur or the eastern hills.
Places in Siraha
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 100 m
Salhesh Phulbari
A sacred garden in Siraha associated with the Maithili folk hero Raja Salhesh, the focus of a spring fair.
Town or village · 80 m
Siraha
The quiet headquarters of Siraha district, a Maithili market town close to the Indian border.
Getting there
The East-West Highway runs through Lahan and Mirchaiya, and buses from Kathmandu usually take most of a day, often via the BP Highway. Siraha town lies south of the highway by road, near the Indian border. The nearest airport with regular flights is Janakpur, a few hours' drive west.
Best time to visit
October to March is the best time to visit, though midwinter can be foggy and cold; April to June is very hot and the monsoon brings heavy rain and flooding along the rivers.
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.