Tilottama Municipality is a town in Rupandehi District in the Lumbini Zone of southern Nepal. The municipality was established merging the existing Village Development Committees in 18 May 2014. Tilottama Municipality is formed merging the following VDCs:
- Shankar Nagar
- Aanandaban
- Karaiya
- Makrahar
- Tikuligadh
- Madhabaliya
Fossils of ancient hominoids Ramapithecus were found near the Tinau (Tilottama) River as early as 1932, including a 10.1 million year old tooth.
What does Tilottama mean?
Tilottama is the name of an Apsara described in Hindu mythology. "Tila" is the Sanskrit word for sesame seed or a bit and "uttama" means better or higher. Tilottama therefore means the being whose smallest particle is the finest or one who is composed of the finest and highest qualities.
In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Tilottama is described to have been created by the divine architect Vishwakarma, at Brahma's request, by taking the best quality of everything as the ingredients. She was responsible for bringing about the mutual destruction of the demons: Sunda and Upasunda. Even gods like Shiva and Indra are described to be enamoured of Tilottama.
Tilottama Municipality - Map
