Chitwan literally means “heart of the jungle”. The popular Inner Terai valley gets its name from Chitrasen, the Tharu King, who once ruled here. In the southwest corner of Bagmati Province, Chitwan lies between foothills of the Himalaya, the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges. The region called Chitra Ban in earlier references used to be dense forest abounding in wild animals and resorted by recluse sages meditating deep in the forests.