Saptari, is Located in the easternmost 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 1,363 km2 and has a population (2022) of 706,255 which makes it the 14th most populated district of Nepal. Saptari is renowned for its agricultural output, and is bordered on the east by the massive Sapta Koshi river, on the west by the Balan River separating Siraha district, on the north by Udayapur and on the south by Supaul and Madhubani districts of Bharat Vihar. Saptari district is located in 68m above sea level at an altitude of 457 meters, it extends to 26.22 minutes north latitude and 86.45 minutes east longitude. The east-west length of the district covers 63% of the plains of the Terai and 37% of the chure region and the north-south width is an average of 23 km. 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.

Temples

Chinnamasta Bhagawati

Chinnamasta Bhagawati (छिन्नमस्ता भगवती) is a temple of Eastern Nepal. It is situated in Chinnamasta VDC, Saptari, 10 km 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.

Shambhunath

Shambhunath (शम्भुनाथ) is another one of the famous temples of Eastern Nepal. It is situated in Shambhunath, 12 km 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).

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.

Geography and climate

Education

HSEB affiliated +2 colleges are:

Demographics

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. 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. Religion: 85.7% were Hindu, 8.9% Muslim, 4.7% Buddhist, 0.1% Kirati and 0.5% others. Literacy: 54.4% could read and write, 3.0% could only read and 42.5% could neither read nor write.

Administration

The district consists of eighteen municipalities, out of which nine are urban municipalities and nine are rural municipalities. These are as follows:

Former Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Municipalities

Notable persons