Kankai river : brief introduction

Kankai bridge : The longest concrete bridge of Nepal

  Kankai or Kanakai (Both word are in writing tends) river is one of the famous river in Nepal as a religious secret river and due to its other advantage. The Kankai originates in the Mahabharat Range of Mechi zone in Nepal and flowing through nearly central part of Ilam and Jhapa district. Kankai bridge is known as the longest concrete bridge of Nepal constructed on Mahendra highway that add Kanakai and satasidham Municipality in Jhapa district.

The Kankai river is flowing with very clean and cold water excluding rainy season. So that people want to bath here. The water of Kankai river is used for irrigation and hydro electricity power.  Kankai area has not more pollution problem, but flow of the rainy season cutting valuable field in both edge every year.....

Hindu People worship this river as Kankai Mai or Kankai Goddess. This river name Kankai  is taken from Sanskrit language word ‘KANAKA’, that means gold. One saying is such about Kankai name. So many year ago when some saint used to live in hill region beside Kankai river for meditation, at that time some golden stone were appeared in water. So they called to Kankai river as ‘Kanakawati Mai’ or ‘Goddess with gold’. Gradually,  People  start to call ‘Kankai’ to this river.

Bank area of the Kankai River at Surunga and Satasidham VDC in Jhapa is a famous pilgrimage site. There is the famous religious touristy place of eastern Nepal called ‘Kankai Dham, Kotihom’ situated at east bank, and a beautiful Picnic spot called ‘Domukha’ and another pilgrimage ‘Maidhar’ is situated at west bank.

More than five hundred thousand devotees and tourist come in ‘Kankai Dham, Kotihom’  yearly from various parts of the country and even from Darjeling, Sikkim, West bengal and assam state too. There is under constructing Baudha Gumba and so many Hindu God’s temple in ‘Kankai Dham, Kotihom’.

The western bank of this river is known as Maidhar and the eastern one is known as Kotihom. Kankai Mela, probably the biggest mela of eastern region, is held here every Maghe Sankranti, the first day of the tenth month Magh of the Nepali calendar.

 *Note : Kankai or Kanakai both word are in writing tends for the river and there is Kanakai municipality in Jhapa which is named as kankai river's name.