The name of Sarlahi (Nepali: सर्लाही) district is believed to be derived from the name of famous temple of this district, SARLAHI DEVI Temple which is located in Hempur VDC. It is said that anyone if goes to the temple at night time will die next day. So still these is no habitation near the temple.

Sarlahi is  a part of Janakpur Zone in Central Development region, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal. The district, with Malangwa as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,259 km² and had a population of 7,69,729  according to census of  2011 AD.