Banbasa

Banbasa
—  town  —
Banbasa Location of Banbasa in Uttarakhand and India
Coordinates	28°58′48″N 80°04′48″E
Country	India
State	Uttarakhand
District(s)	Champawat
Population	7,138 (2001)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 466 metres (1,529 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 262310 • Telephone • +91 5943 • Vehicle • UK-03
Footnotes Banbasa is in the world

Banbasa (बनबसा) is a census town in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Banbasa had a population of almost 8,000 (including the outer villages and communities this number could easily be higher than 80,000). Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Banbasa has an average literacy rate of 97%, higher than the national average of 96%^{[citation needed]}.

It is located 10 km away from Tanakpur. Banbasa is known for the Banbasa Barrage and Dam across the Sarda river, its canal and what many consider the launching point for the trip up into the mountains on the Holy Purnagiri Pilgrimage. The place abounds in sugarcane, paddy, wheat, mango orchards etc. and has a hot and humid climate, typical of the Terais, during summers, with heavy rains in late summers and hard winters.

To enter into Banbassa from Delhi one must pass through a lush 6km stretch of jungle in which elephants, leopards, tigers, monkeys, bears, snakes, deer and many other species of wild animal are regularly seen. Much of Banbasa's outer population lives in the jungles that surround the town.

The Town & Tourism

While Banbassa has several small hotels, it is not generally considered a 'tourist destination'. The majority of tourists and visitors that arrive in Banbassa are either crossing into Nepal (via Mahendranagar) or heading up in to the Himalayas and its hill stations.

A popular place to visit while staying in Banbasa is The Good Shepherd Agricultural Mission, an orphanage home for just on 100 children located just 1 km from the town -though visitors must obtain permission prior to visiting via their website. The GSAM is situated on the border of the jungle and has been registered and running since 1948.

Banbasa is a popular spot for people to cross into Nepal from India as there is an immigration office for both countries. The Nepal border is about 5 km from Banbasa and rickshaws or horse-drawn carts can be hired with ease.

Transport To & From

Buses run direct between Banbasa and Delhi, Agra, Bareilly, Rudrapur, Nanital, Haldwani, Dehradun, Haridwar, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Shimla and many other places. Most services have several timings but some only have 1-3 buses per day. Banbasa is one of the last stops before the Himalayan mountain climb begins on the road to Almorah/Champawat/Pithoragarh.

Trains also run to Banbassa, currently the only route comes through Phillibhit though construction is underway for a direct line from Delhi.

Border crossing

While India and Nepal have an open border with no restrictions on the movement of people on either side, there are 22 agreed transit and customs posts along the Nepal-India border for the purposes of trade. These are: 1. Pashupatinagar / Sukhiapokhari 2.Kakarbhitta / Naxalbari (Panitanki) 3. Bhadrapur / Galgalia 4. Biratnagar / Jogbani 5. Setobandha / Bhimnagar 6. Rajbiraj / Kunauli 7. Siraha, Janakpur / Jayanagar 8. Jaleswar / Bhitamore, Sursand 9. Malangawa / Sonbarsa 10. Gaur / Bairgania 11. Birganj / Raxaul 12. Bhairahawa / Nautanwa 13.Taulihawa / Khunwa 14. Krishnanagar / Barhni 15. Koilabas / Jarwa 16. Nepalgunj / Rupaidiha (Nepalgunj Road) 17. Rajapur / Katerniyaghat 18. Prithivipur / Sati (Kailali) / Tikonia 19. Dhangadhi / Gauriphanta 20. Mahendranagar / Banbasa 21. Mahakali / Jhulaghat (Pithoragarh) 22. Darchula/Dharchula.

There are six immigration points along the Indo Nepal border for the entry and exit of nationals from third countries. These are: Banbasa, Dhangadhi, Nepalganj, Bhairahawa (Sunauli), Birganj and Kakarbhita.