From thatch huts to ‘German Hangers’: Chitwan’s enduring role in hosting party conventions

Chitwan, a district situated near Nepal's geographical center, has consistently played a pivotal role in hosting significant political conventions. Its history includes hosting influential communist factional gatherings that have profoundly shaped the nation's political trajectory. Most recently, it served as the venue for the first general convention of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), a political entity that gained government power following a youth-led movement.

This tradition of Chitwan as a political hub dates back decades. In November 2021, the CPN-UML held its 10th national convention there. Even earlier, in November 1991, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre) convened in Chitwan. A subsequent split within this party led to the formation of the CPN (Maoist), whose initial conference was also held in the district, preceding their armed insurgency that dramatically reshaped Nepal's political landscape.

The current political climate differs greatly from the era of clandestine meetings under monarchical rule. However, Chitwan's function as a venue for major political assemblies has endured. The RSP's recent gathering occurred in the post-'Gen Z' revolt political era, highlighting the district's continuous relevance. Organizers for the RSP's June convention faced practical hurdles, including intense heat and the possibility of monsoon rains. This contrasts sharply with the organizers of the Unity Centre convention 34 years prior, whose primary concern was evading state authorities. That assembly took place in Shitalpur, a remote southern part of Madi in Chitwan.

Gopilal Devkota, who was part of the event management committee for the Maoists, recalled the logistical challenges of building temporary huts from forest materials for delegates. Transporting these materials to Madi, even though not geographically distant from Bharatpur, was difficult due to poor infrastructure. The isolation of the area, requiring travel through dense forests of Chitwan National Park, made it suitable for a secret political gathering. Preparations for the 1991 convention began a month in advance, with materials hidden in the forest to avoid suspicion. A team of 42 locals managed the logistics, using the cover story of setting up a poultry farm. Materials were transported overnight just two days before the November 27 inauguration, and construction of the temporary huts, which took about 12 hours, began under the cover of darkness.

“

If anyone asked, we told them we were setting up a poultry farm.