Kalaiya

Kalaiya
कलैया
Sub-metropolitan city
Ghanta Ghar, Bharat Chowk, Kalaiya
Interactive map of Kalaiya
Kalaiya is located in Madhesh Province
Kalaiya
Kalaiya
Location in Nepal
Kalaiya is located in Nepal
Kalaiya
Kalaiya
Kalaiya (Nepal)
Coordinates: 27°2′N 85°0′E / 27.033°N 85.000°E / 27.033; 85.000
Country   Nepal
ProvinceMadhesh
DistrictBara
Government
 • MayorBinod Prasad Shah (CPN-UML)
 • Deputy mayorRausan Parwin (CPN-UML)
Area
 • Total
108.94 km2 (42.06 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
141,179
 • Density1,295.9/km2 (3,356.5/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+5:45 (NST)
Postal code
44400
Area code053
Websitekalaiyamun.gov.np

Kalaiya (Nepali: कलैया) is a sub-metropolitan Nepalese city and the district headquarters of the Bara District of Madhesh Province. It is known for its cultural heritage and its status as a gateway to the controversial Hindu Gadhimai festival. Kalaiya serves as an economic and administrative hub in the central Terai region.

History

Kalaiya is historically significant as a center for the Bhojpuri-speaking community. Its identity is intertwined with the Gadhimai Temple, located in nearby Bariyarpur, which hosts the five-yearly Gadhimai festival, controversial for its large-scale animal sacrifices.

Demographics

In the 2021 Nepal census, Kalaiya had a population of 141,179 people residing in 28,645 households.

See also

References

  1. ↑ General Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu, Nepal, Nov. 2012
  2. ↑ "Gadhimai: Nepal's animal sacrifice festival goes ahead despite 'ban'". Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Kalaiya: A Growing Administrative and Cultural Hub in Madhesh Province". Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Study on liveable cities" (PDF). Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Victory! Animal Sacrifice Banned at Nepal's Gadhimai Festival, Half a Million Animals Saved". Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "What to Know About Gadhimai Festival—and Its Controversial Mass Animal Sacrifice". Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "About Kalaiya Sub Metro". Retrieved 5 September 2025.