Parsa is regarded as one of the major industrial regions of the country. The district headquarters, Birgunj also borders with the southern neighbour. The Birgunj-Raxaul border crossing point is one of the busiest trade routes of the country.

Besides its economic significance, the district is also rich in cultural diversity. People of various ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds have lived in harmony for centuries. Although Maithili, Hindi and Nepal Bhasa are spoken across Parsa, the majority of the people speak Bhojpuri.

It is also home to Parsa National Park, known for inhabiting Royal Bengal Tigers and Asian elephants among various species of mammals, birds and reptiles.

In the 1960s and 70s, volunteers from the US Peace Corps were posted across Nepal, serving and teaching in various sectors, including education, farming, and health.

These photos taken by them show the lives of people of Parsa at a different time in history.

This photo essay is part of our Once Upon a Time series, featuring photographs taken by US Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s and 70s.

To see more photo essays in the series, visit tkpo.st/eka-deshma