Acharya Mahashraman Ahimsa Yatra Nepal
Birgunj - Kathmandu - Biratnagar

1. Nepal Entry
2. Touring Birgunj to Hetauda
3. Ascending from Hetauda to Kathmandu
4. Camping in Kathmandu
5. Descending from Kathmandu to Janakpur
6. Cross border Tour - Janakpur to Biratnagar

Section 6: Cross border Tour - Janakpur to Biratnagar

6.2: Mission Goes On…

Acharya Mahashraman with all the accompanying monks and nuns in Ahimsa Yatra are entering “Terapanth Bhawan” in Biratnagar, Nepal on 22nd July 2015 for the four month rainy season camping

1st July, Inaruwa, Nepal: Monks repeating the monkhood rules, during “Haazari”, a periodic event that happens publicly in front of discourse assembly on 14th day of every fortnight as per Indian lunar calendar

Acharya Mahashraman started from Harinagra in the morning hours on 1st July towards Dharan as the next major destination. H.H. arrived at Dharan outer on 4th July and camped at the Eastern Engineering College. Morning hour assembly was organized to commemorate Acharya Tulsi’s 19th Anniversary.

4th July: Acharya Mahashraman taking a short break on the way towards Dharan Outer

Ahimsa Yatra caravan crossed over the 2nd largest forest in Nepal on the approach to Dharan. H.H. entered Dharan on 5thJuly for 2 days camping.

Acharya Mahashraman started from Dharan on 7th July and took the same route back for a while to go south. H.H. crossed the same dense forest, also known as “Char Koshi” forest, hosting animals like elephants, fox, deer, etc.

After Pokhra in Nepal, Dharan receives highest rain fall. Ahimsa Yatra already witnessed the glimpse of heavy rainfall in this area. It has been raining frequently since last few days and forcing H.H. to adjust travel plan accordingly. 

Acharya Mahashraman’s tour from Harinagra to Dharan in Nepal and then to Forbesganj in India:

Acharya Mahashraman started from Tankisinuwari, Nepal towards Jogbani in India. Owners and workers of many of the factories on the way listened to auspicious chant from H.H. in front of their establishments. Thousands of workers got guidance on value based living.

10th July: Ahimsa Yatra clips upon entry in Jogbani, India

H.H. passed through Biratnagar to reach Jogbani. Upon the cross over, thousands of people joined the Ahimsa Yatra caravan.  H.H. crossed the Nepal border and entered Indian Territory from “Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan” gate. Hundreds of Bihar Police personnel were present for security.

Acharya Mahashraman entered Forbesganj for 10 days camping on 11th July. H.H. was warmly welcomed by all the major institutions of Forbesganj and local administration. Bihar government accepted H.H. as government guest during 11 days camping in India. H.H. started the chores of visiting houses of local followers and especially to the old ailing ones from 12th July.

113 years old Mr. Jagannath Dubey, a resident of Forbesganj and a freedom fighter who had the chance to work with Mahatma Gandhi, interacted with major press teams of India to express his feelings about Ahimsa Yatra. He mentioned Acharya Mahashraman and Ahimsa Yatra remind him about Gandhi ji and the Satyagraha movement. He mentioned, seeing Acharya Mahashraman, it feels like Gandhi ji has come back. The way Mahashraman is taking Ahimsa Yatra around the border, same way people were walking behind Gandhi ji in this region.

14th July was celebrated as “Pragya Diwas” on the occasion of 96th birthday of Acharya Mahapragya, the 10th Acharya of Terapanth order.

Hundreds of soldiers from Indian Border Security Force visited H.H on 15th July. Muni Jaya Kumar took a meditation session for them.

17th July: Clips of morning hour discourse assembly at Forbesganj, India

Many multi days workshops of various Terapanth groups were organized during these 10 days camping at Forbesganj.

A testimony: H.H. while on the chores of visiting local follower’s houses also went to a non-Jain family. One of the family member’s was highly addicted to alcohol. Same day he again went to liquor shop and bought an alcohol bottle but then he got memory of H.H. and the house visit. He left the bottle at the shop and came near the campsite. He meditated and vowed for quitting drinking for the life.

After 10 days camping in Forbesganj, Acharya Mahashraman started towards Nepal. H.H. entered Nepal through “Loknarayan Jaiprakash” Gate at the border in presence of thousands of followers. After a walk of 14.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Rani in Nepal for today’s camping.

Ahimsa Yatra towards Biratnagar, Nepal

Acharya Mahashraman started towards Biratnagar around 5:40 AM in the morning from Rani. Thousands of followers kept joining the Ahimsa Yatra caravan to witness the historical Biratnagar entry. As per the locals of Biratnagar, such a huge procession is possibly happening for the first time in Biratnagar history.

Sadhvi Pramukha Kanakprabha together with nuns entering Biratnagar, Nepal for the four month camping

Representatives of almost all the organizations, including Jain and Non-Jain communities of Biratnagar participated in the procession. People representing Nepal government, administration, political parties, security forces, all warmly welcomed H.H. The grand procession was however a silent one in nature.

Sadhvi Pramukha Kanakprabha listening to Acharya Mahashraman’s auspicious chant before entering the camping premises for nuns in Biratnagar

Acharya Mahashraman and monks chanting Mantra and verses before entering the campsite in Biratnagar

Upon reaching outside the campsite, H.H. chanted “Vighna Haran Mangal Karana…” couple of time and at around 7:40 AM entered the campsite premises. Passing through the huge discourse assembly shamiana, H.H. entered the newly build “Terapanth Bhawan” at 7:51 AM for the four monthly camping.

Discourse assembly stage at Biratnagar, also named as “Mahaveer Samaosaran”

Biratnagar celebrated this day as “Ahimsa Diwas” (Non-Violence Day). Together with Municipal corporation support, the local people observed closure of meat and alcohol shops with denial of their consumption and distribution for the day at Biratnagar.

Morning assembly at Biratnagar

Morning program was started at the grand discourse assembly shamiana, also named as “Mahaveer Samaosaran” in the presence of Acharya Mahashraman, Sadhvi Pramukha Kanakprabha and all the accompanying monk and nuns.

Catastrophic earthquake rocked Himalaya but couldn’t shake the will power of great holy saint, messenger of peace H.H. Acharya Mahashraman.  The highly risky mountainous route post-earthquake with very high probability of landslides, huge enough to destroy entire village, posed great threat to the Ahimsa Yatra caravan. Crossing over this route, witnessing heavy thunderstorms while camping at open areas, furious lightening and scary thundering of clouds in dark nights, chilled wind  and blood freezing ice cold rain, hailstorms, Ahimsa Yatra saw many faces of nature. With occasions of uphill trek of over thousands of feet or climbing down thousands of feet on the same day, crossing over dense forests, Ahimsa Yatra starting from Indian capital Delhi walked around 2200 KMs to enter Biratnagar.

With the goal of spreading the message of peace and harmony, Acharya Mahashraman has already planned a hectic travel schedule covering the length and breadth of India and the four month rainy season camping until 2020: