10 Places Famous for Khukuri in Nepal

Gurkha Khukuri Knife is a curved sword or machete having a broad blade mainly used by the Gurkhas. Mostly used in Nepal and India, the Kukris are used as a traditional weapon and a daily-use tool.

Khukuri is a national weapon of Nepal and is always used by the Nepali Gorkhali army as it is said that the Gorkhali never steps in a battle without a Khukuri. Khukuri is regarded as a respectful possession by the Nepali people.

Khukuri in Nepal are classified into two categories: Eastern and Western Khukuri. Popular Kukris in Eastern Nepal are Angkhola Khukuri, Chitlange Khukuri, Chiruwa Khukuri, Dhankute Khukuri, Ganjawala Kukri, Panawal Khukuri, Bhojpure Khukuri, Chainpure Khukuri. Similarly, the Western Khukuri are also called Budhuna (a fish with a large head) or Baspate (Bamboo-leaf like).

Most of the Kukris in Nepal are named after the places they were produced or used. These Khukuris have their design, shapes, and purpose. Let’s look at the different areas which are famous for Khukuri in Nepal.

List 10 Places Famous for Khukuri in Nepal

Gorkha

Gorkha is the place from which Prithivi Narayan Shah started the unification of Nepal to create the modern Nepal you can see today, and the Gurkhas (or Gorkhali Army) got their name from this very place. Gorkha is situated in western Nepal as a district of the Gandaki Province and is the fourth largest Nepal district.

Gorkha is famous for the Khukuri users rather than the actual making of the favorite blade. There is no well-known design from this place, but the military-styled Budhune khukuri is quite famous in Gorkha. The Budhune is broader than the other typical khukuri and has a shape as a fish with a large head.

These khukuris are more extensive, more expansive, a bit straight, and works as an aggressive weapon. Although there is no specific Khukuri model from Gorkha, almost all the Khukuri from Nepal are known as Gorkhali Khukuri or Gorkha Khukuri.

Dharan

Dharan is one of the sub-metropolitan cities in Sunsari District of Province 1, Nepal. The fourth municipality of the Kingdom, Dharan, is situated on the Mahabharat Range’s foothills in the north and the Terai region’s plains in the south at an altitude of 349m.

Dharan is considered to be the first place to centralize and manage Khukuri.

After the British government started recruitments of Gurkhas, operation and management, etc., in Nepal’s plains, mainly Dharan,
there was a huge demand for service weapons.

The popular Khukuri, also known as MK5 or GI5 (KHHI Nepal), was born in Dharan, and many variants of it are still famous in Nepal. Dharan is a major significance to the Khukuri production in Nepal. The growth of Khukuri brought depth and added value to the khukuri and made Dharan the most popular place for Khukuri.

Dharan is still the largest producer and has a large number of factories in the whole country. Other popular models of Khukuri from Dharan are Panawal, Chirrawal, Kothimora, Panjwal, and Angkhola. Khukuri from this place are known as Dharane Khukuri, or service Khukuri.

Bhojpur

Bhojpur is very popular for the famous Bhojpure Khukuri. Bhojpur is a district in the eastern part of Province 1, Nepal. The place is renowned for traditional metal works and its unique Khukuri.

The Bhojpure Khukuri is borderer, thicker, and standard blade size 10-12 inch long. The Khukuri plays a significant significance in the people of Bhojpur as they take pride and pleasure in the Bhojpure Khukuri. The people use the Khukuri as a tool and a lethal weapon for protection.

Bhojpure Khukuris are big, fat, and heavy, which helps in quick and heavy blows in lesser time. The Khukuri is known for bringing fortune to the house, which keeps it away from bad luck and danger. Bhojpure Khukuri is famous and kept in almost all houses of Nepal, especially Eastern Nepal.

Chainpur

Chainpur is a municipality in Sankhuwasabha District in Province 1 of north-eastern Nepal. The Chainpure Khukuri is named after this very village. Chainpure Kukri is slim, slender, and lighter and originated in the 90s.

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Chainpure Kukri is lighter and handy, along with a unique closed notch that cannot be found in any other Khukuri variants. The notch symbolizes the “OM” and the cow’s footmark, which are religious symbols in Hinduism.
The Chainpurians use this Khukuri as a tool rather than a weapon, which led to the Open notch’s change to a closed one.

Dhankuta

Dhankuta is another famous place located in the small hills of Eastern Nepal and is renowned for the famous Dhankute Khukuri. The Dhankute People wanted to add something unique to the traditional way of making a Kukri. So, they gave more focus to put something to the Khukuri that represented their village and identity.

The Dhankute Khukuris are good working Khukuri, but their designs are unique with their sheath made from horn or wood. This displays national, religious, and traditional images, icons, unlike many sheaths that use leathers. The Dhankute Khukuri’s uniqueness is the sheath which also has added expensive metals to give it a stylish feature.
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Salyan

Salyan is the only place in Nepal that has retained its traditional khukuri’s originality and authenticity ever since its existence to date. The Khukuris from Salyan are unique in the sense that the sickle-shaped khukuri has no shoulder – Salyani Kukri. Originally made for battle, the Salyani Kukris are now used for domestic purposes.
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Chitlang

Chitlang is a small town located in the Makwanpur District of Bagmati Province, Nepal. Located 25 km south-west of Kathmandu, the town has its own cultural Newar settlement and inscriptions dating to the Licchavi Era.

The Chitlange Khukuris are also light-weighted and have a closed notch similar to the Chainpure Khukuri but are slightly bigger and have a hollow grind panel that helps control the weight of the knife and make deep cuts. Chitlange Khukuris are high-on demand and are referred to as the best villages in Khukuri in Nepal.

Khotang

Khotang is a district situated in Province 1 of Eastern Nepal. Bhojpur District borders it in the east, Udayapur in the south, Okhaldhunga in the west, and Solukhumbu in the north. Khotang is famous for Haleshi Mahadev, which is an important pilgrimage site of Lord Shiva.

The place is famous for Dhaka, Wood carvings, Pashmina, etc., along with the high-quality handmade Khukuris. The Khukuri made by a minority of Kamis (or Bishwakarma) of Khotang is made and sold all over Nepal. Baaskate Khukuri is one of the famous designs Khukuri originated from Khotang that is made to cut Bamboo (Baas in Nepali). The Khukuri is used in the day-to-day activities by the People of Khotang, who are primarily farmers.

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur has recently gained popularity in the Khukuri market in Nepal. With the increasing demand for Kukri from Nepal and other foreign countries, the people of Bhaktapur started producing Khukuri in their workshops at home. The Bhaktapur Khukuris are not widely popular or have their uniqueness. But locals of the hometown use the locally made Khukuris directly from the makers for their daily use.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the most popular place of tourist attraction which has caused the demand for Khukuri to increase rapidly. Although not known for Khukuris, many people have started local production of good quality Khukuris and sales through marketing. There are vast numbers of sellers and makers in Kathmandu who make unique and modern stylish Khukuris of various shapes and sizes.