Tansen was the capital of the
Magar Kingdom (
Barha Magarat) in Palpa, one of the most powerful regional principalities before the rise of the
Shah dynasty. It even came close to conquering
Kathmandu in the 16th century under the leadership of Mukunda Sen. The
Palpa district is home to the
Magar people, and the name "
Tansen" has its origins in the
Magar language, meaning "northern settlement." Local Magar kings lost influence in the 18th century and Tansen became a Newari bazaar on the important trade route between
India and
Tibet via the Kaligandaki River and
Mustang. Because it was a
district administrative center of the
Kingdom of Nepal,
Maoists targeted Tansen several times during the
Nepalese Civil War, including a major assault on the historic
Durbar (palace) compound in 2006. Nearby
Srinagar Danda (hill) offers a panoramic view of the high
Himalaya. From west to east, the Kanjiroba,
Dhaulagiri,
Annapurna,
Mansiri,
Ganesh and
Langtang groups are in sight. Other nearby attractions include Ranighat, a
Rana palace next to the Kaligandaki River, and Ridi Bazaar, a major
Hindu pilgrimage destination at the auspicious confluence of the Kaligandaki and Ridi Rivers. A large
mela is held there on
Maghe Sankranti (about January 14). Tansen is the home of United Mission Hospital, located one mile east of the town center. The hospital was established in 1954 as a partnership between the people of Nepal and a coalition of 20 Christian organizations on four continents. As of 2010, Mission Hospital has 160 beds, and the clinics there see over 100,000 patients per year. Mission Hospital is the oldest project of
United Mission to Nepal (UMN), a consortium of eight worldwide Christian denominations that was formed in 1952 to coordinate missionary work in Nepal. Presently there are about a dozen expatriate medical personnel assisted by a staff of about 300 Nepalese. Mission Hospital collaborates with Tansen Nursing School, considered to be among the best training programs for basic nursing education in the country. The 2007 book, "The Hospital at the End of the World" describes the workings of Mission Hospital from the perspective of a short-term Medical Missionary. ==Climate==