Along the Mahabharat range, in the remote and steep terrains bounded
to the South of Trishuli River (Prithvi Highway), North and West
of the Rapti River (East-West Highway and Tribhuwan Highway
respectively), and East of the Narayani River (Mugling-Narayangarh
Highway), lies the traditional area of the Chepangs: one of the
indigenous nationalities1
of Nepal. In the administrative division of the
country, their traditional area falls in the West of Makawanpur district,
Northeast of Chitwan district, and South of Dhading district. There are
also quite signiicant population of Chepangs to the north of Trishuli
River in the Southeast of Gorkha District, believed to have migrated
from their traditional region (Rai, 1985). Although major highways
of the country surround their traditional area, a large part of Chepang
settlements are still untouched by motorable roads and feeder roads
joining their settlements to the highways are almost absent. According
to the population census 2001, the total Chepang population is 52,237
constituting 0.23% of the total population of Nepal (CBS, 2003). Of the
total Chepang population, 40.67% lives in Chitwan district, 29.39% in
Makwanpur district, 20.82% in Dhading district, and 5.25% in Gorkha
district; the four districts thus form the home to more than 95% of the
total Chepang population (CBS, 2008). Majority of the Chepangs live
in the hilly Village Development Committees (VDCs) of these four
districts namely Kabilas, Chandibhanjyang, Dahakhani, Darechowk,
Kaule, Shaktikhor, Siddhi, Korak, Lothar, and Piple VDCs in Chitwan
district; Manahari, Raksirang, Kankada, Khairang, Dadakharka,
Bharta, Kalikataar, and Sarikhet-Palase VDCs in Makwanpur district;
Jogimara, Gajuri, Mahadevsthan, Pida, Dhusa, and Benighat VDCs in
Dhading district; and Taklung, Makaising, Tanlichowk, Bhumlichowk,