| Type: | District |
| Saptari District | |
| Native Name: | सप्तरी जिल्ला |
| Map Alt1: | Saptari District with local level body |
| Map Caption1: | Saptari District with local level body |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Mithila |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Madhesh |
| Parts Type: | Municipality |
| Parts Style: | coll |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Seat Type: | Admin HQ. |
| Seat: | Rajbiraj |
| Leader Title: | Head |
| Leader Title1: | Deputy-Head |
| Leader Title2: | Parliamentary constituencies |
| Leader Name2: | 4 |
| Leader Title3: | Provincial constituencies |
| Leader Name3: | 8 |
| Government Type: | District Coordination Committee |
| Governing Body: | DCC, Saptari |
| Area Total Km2: | 1363 |
| Population Total: | 639,284 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Households |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Main Language |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Major highways |
| Timezone1: | NPT |
| Utc Offset1: | +05:45 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Codes |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone Code |
| Area Code: | 031 |
Saptari (Nepali: सप्तरी जिल्ला|), a part of Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. Its district headquarter is Rajbiraj. Saptari is an Outer Terai district. This district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 639,284[1] which makes it the 10th most populated district of Nepal. Saptari is renowned for its agricultural output, and is bordered on the east by the massive Sapta Koshi river.There are nine municipalities in Saptari: Dakneshwori, Rajbiraj, Bodebarsain, Hanumannagar Kankalini, Kanchanrup, Saptakoshi, surunga, Shambhunath and Khadak. Other small towns include Mahuli, Kathauna Fattepur, Pato and Itahari Bishnupur with the area government "Machha Palan Kendra" fish farming centre.
The famous Chhinnamasta temple is one of the Shakti Peeths and Kankalini Temple are also located in Saptari District. Saptari has highest growth in Maithili literature.[2]
See main article: Chinnamasta Bhagawati. Chinnamasta Bhagawati (छिन्नमस्ता भगवती) is a temple of Eastern Nepal. It is situated in Chinnamasta VDC, Saptari, from Rajbiraj and also near to Indian Border. It is a main attraction for Indian pilgrims. People are likely to come here in Bada Dashain. Some thousands of goats are sacrificed here during dashain.[3]
See main article: Shambhunath Temple.
Shambhunath (शम्भुनाथ) is another one of the famous temples of Eastern Nepal. It is situated in Shambhunath, from Rajbiraj and also near Mahendra Highway. This temple is a main attraction for Indian pilgrims. People are likely to come here in Siruwa Mela during month of Baisakh (the first month of Bikram Sambat).
See main article: Kankalini Temple. Kankalini Temple (कंकालिनी) is another temple situated in this district; it is located in Bhardah-1 of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality. This temple is main attraction for Indian pilgrims. Kankalini Temple has great religious importance. Like most of the other Shakti Peethas in Nepal, this temple, too, has a legend attached to it. According to the legend, the people settled in Bhardaha village had started to use the land for farming, however, while digging, some farmers had found a stone statue carved beautifully with the image of Goddess Durga and in that very place, this temple is said to have been built. It is believed that when a devotee worships with great devotion and true heart in the temple, their wish comes true. So, thousands of peoples from many part of the country come to this temple to worship the avatar of Goddess Durga, known famously as goddess Kankalini.[4]
| Climate Zone | Elevation Range | % of Area | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Tropical | below | 94.7% | |
| Upper Tropical | 2.3% |
HSEB affiliated +2 colleges are:
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Saptari District had a population of 639,284.
As their first language, 79.2% spoke Maithili, 10.4% Tharu, 4.0% Nepali, 3.8% Urdu, 0.2% Magar, 0.2% Rai, 0.2% Sunuwar, 0.2% Tamang, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Bhujel, 0.1% Danuwar, 0.1% Ghale, 0.1% Hindi, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Magahi, 0.1% Newar, 0.1% Rajasthani and 0.1% other languages.[6]
Ethnicity/caste: 15.8% were Yadav, 11.5% Tharu, 8.9% Musalman, 7.3% Teli, 6.5% Dhanuk, 6.1% Musahar, 5.9% Khatwe, 4.3% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 2.3% Kathabaniyan, 2.2% Bantar/Sardar, 2.1% Mallaha, 2.0% other Terai, 1.9% Rajdhov, 1.8% Halwai, 1.7% Dusadh/Paswan/Pasi, 1.5% Hajam/Thakur, 1.5% Tatma/Tatwa, 1.4% Terai Brahmin, 1.4% Chhetri, 1.3% Hill Brahmin, 1.0% Koiri/Kushwaha, 0.9% Dhobi, 0.9% Kumhar, 0.8% Kalwar, 0.8% Kami, 0.6% Baraee, 0.6% Magar, 0.6% Rajput, 0.4% Newar, 0.3% Badhaee, 0.3% Dom, 0.3% Kayastha, 0.3% Kewat, 0.3% Rai, 0.3% Sonar, 0.3% Sudhi, 0.2% Bengali, 0.2% Damai/Dholi, 0.2% Danuwar, 0.2% Dev, 0.2% Gaderi/Bhedihar, 0.2% Kumal, 0.2% Mali, 0.2% Nuniya, 0.2% Rajbhar, 0.2% Sunuwar, 0.2% Tamang, 0.1% Amat, 0.1% Ghale, 0.1% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.1% Kurmi, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Lohar, 0.1% Marwadi, 0.1% Punjabi/Sikh, 0.1% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.1% Sarki and 0.4% others.[7]
Religion: 85.7% were Hindu, 8.9% Muslim, 4.7% Buddhist, 0.1% Kirati and 0.5% others.[8]
Literacy: 54.4% could read and write, 3.0% could only read and 42.5% could neither read nor write.[9]
The district consists of eighteen municipalities, out of which nine are urban municipalities and nine are rural municipalities.[10] These are as follows: