Acharya Mahashraman Ahimsa Yatra Nepal
Birgunj - Kathmandu - Biratnagar
- Nepal Entry
- Touring Birgunj to Hetauda
- Ascending from Hetauda to Kathmandu
- Camping in Kathmandu
- Descending from Kathmandu to Janakpur
- Cross border Tour - Janakpur to Biratnagar
Section 3: Ascending from Hetauda to Kathmandu
Part 2: Touching the peak of Nepal journey
Acharya Mahashraman on uphill trek towards Kathmandu
11th April:
Usual chores of trekking around the mountains started little after the sunrise. H.H. started from Baghmaar towards Mahabhir. Uphill journey resumed again. As H.H. was proceeding on the path with sharp turns and steep ascendance, the height from sea level was increasing at the same time the abyss were getting deeper. H.H. took a sight of the trailing nuns down there, who were on the way from Kalitaar (around 12 KM apart from H.H. current location) towards Baghmaar.
Ahimsa Yatra towards Mahabhir, Nepal
As H.H was progressing uphill, the mountains that looked huge from base have now started looking smaller. Still many more mountains are challenging H.H. Mountains are covered with thick forests. From peak to base its everywhere trees and hundreds of their species. Shala, pipal, banyan, camphor, sesame, chilaune, red sandal, mango, chir pine, khaska, okhar, bamboo, lychee, pomegranate, lemon, banana, fawer, bay berry, kapro, bhogar, mushroom, bajo, phalar, kalikaat, etc. many more varieties of trees could be seen.
This forest occupies important place from herbal medicine perspective. Products from this forest are used in abundance in making herbal medicines. Some of herbs used from this forest are notably lotasalla for cancer, digitalesh for heart diseases, timmur for arthritis, chirayata for fever and blood pressure, dharsingar for pain relief, thulo medicine and pakhanbet after baby delivery, titepanti for eczema, kher for injuries, jaii for throat diseases and tulsi and neem for curing various diseases. Sukandabal seems to be an interesting herb that cures children with crying problem. Ingredients of Triphala powder are available in plenty here. There is no big health care facility in this area and people have to go to cities for treatment for severe diseases. Still local people are aware of the herbs and their application and directly use it in traditional way for treating basic ailments like cold, fever, body pains, etc.
Rhododendron is the National flower of Nepal. It is called "Lali Gurans" in Nepali. There are over 30 species of Rhododendron in Nepal and can be spotted in this area.
Muni Kumarshraman showing something to Acharya Mahashraman
H.H. spotted a small cave in the mountain on the way. Though it felt dense forest but wild animals or birds were not seen. One can often see waterfalls in the mountains. At many places water was reaching up to the roads. Boulders falling from mountains during landslide were lying around near the road.
Villagers on the way got guidance from H.H. for good lifestyle. Many vowed to quit addiction. Saturday is holiday in Nepal so many people from Kathmandu used this opportunity to visit H.H. and were together during the journey today.
H.H was moving on this difficult route and spotted young Muni Prince Kumar walking in front and carrying some regular stuff. H.H affectionately asked the young monk to handover the baggage to elder monks. Muni Prince answered that the baggage is not too heavy. After sometime H.H. again called the young monk near him and guided senior monks to take over the baggage from Muni Prince Kumar. People around were touched by H.H. care for young monks.
Acharya Mahashraman campsite and discourse assembly at Mahabhir
After a walk of 11 KM and ascend of 1703 feet, H.H. arrived at Mahabhir. Today's camping is planned at Bhavana primary school. Many members of the Preksha meditation center at Kathmandu, which regularly running for last 18 years, came to visit H.H. and participated in the morning program.
It felt cold at this location, 6058 feet above the sea level, due to cool breeze. H.H camp site had tin shed roof and wasn't that good for this kind of conditions. Temperature kept dipping and reached 5 °C by the night. These conditions couldn't shake up H.H equanimity. Snowfall is common during winter in this place and snow up to 1 foot gets accumulated on the roads.
Liquor is popular in this area due to cold condition. Most of the people in this region consume non vegetarian food. Upon inspired by H.H. many people vowed for quitting addiction and non-vegetarian food habit.
12th April:
Acharya Mahashraman started from Mahabhir towards Lokaali in the morning hours. It was still quite cold in the morning. The coolness reduced a bit as the sun moved up. The camping site at Mahabhir was spotted many times from the travel route. Due to too much turns, it felt like just circumspection of the mountains. Today's camping for nuns is planned at Mahabhir. H.H. stopped for a while and took a glance of the nuns reaching near the camp site at Mahabhir. Weather was taking a turn. It was getting cloudy accompanied by cold breeze.
Acharya Mahashraman taking short break during the uphill trek
On the way H.H. spotted many young people playing Carom. Gambling by playing carom and cards is a popular activity here. Though people are not very rich still spend quite as bit on dressing. Many young people have moved to foreign lands for earning in last few years.
Joint family tradition is mostly negligible. After marriage brothers get separated and properties are distributed among them. Parents live with their youngest son or with the most loved one. Old people still try to financial independence. That's possibly the reason that people here fall shy of hard work. Women are not behind men in earning. Main business is agriculture. Women actively participate in it and also run small shops.
White Army taking giant leaps for universal peace
After a walk of 12 KM and ascending 1506 feet, H.H arrived at Lokaali Basi Faant. Today's camping is planned at secondary school. The school Principal welcomed H.H. The government school built by Japan has big campus and offered scenic view surrounded with green mountains.
Morning discourse assembly at Lokaali Basi Faant, Nepal
Acharya Mahashraman during morning assembly
It started getting cloudy in the afternoon and thunderstorm started. Small streams flowing through the green mountains were making it very exotic. Lightening and thunders from the nearby clouds were making environment scary. High speed cold wind was making the rain more severe. Small hailstorms started falling. Clouds from the mountains below the campsite of H.H. started rising up. Many people witnessed formation of clouds in this way for the first time. Slowly the clouds were getting denser and nearby mountains got surrounded with clouds. Now there are clouds both above and below the campsite. Rain continued till late night while stopping in between occasionally.
Touching the peak at 8293 feet height
13th April:
Rain that started yesterday hasn't yet stopped causing some delay in planned journey of H.H. When the rain stopped at 7:35 am, H.H. started for Daman. But shortly later the rain resumed and getting H.H. wet. It accompanied by chilled breeze. As per the travel plan, H.H. is to touch the peak of this journey today.
Ahimsa Yatra towards Daman, Nepal
High uphill trek together with chilled rain pouring in wanted to pose bigger challenges to H.H. But all these adverse conditions were proving to be incapable of holding H.H. Acharya Shree was progressing uphill un-interruptedly. Waterfalls at many places were noticed. Clean water from rain through these waterfalls was enhancing the beauty of nature but at the same time when the water is coming on to the roads and getting into the feet, it felt like stepping on ice.
New clouds were forming and rising up from the base of the hill on which H.H. is trekking currently. Usually one has to look up for seeing the clouds but today it needed to look down. Clouds were hiding the big mountains. At many places H.H. was cruising through the clouds on the way to destination.
Acharya Mahashraman to conquer the Nepal journey peak today on 13th April
Shining sun of spiritual world, Acharya Mahashraman arrived at Simabhanjyang which at 2488 meter or 8293 feet height from sea level. This village is located at the highest point among all mountains of this region. Overcoming all difficulties and dissolving all doubts and without taking any support, reaching at this location introduces us to H.H. undefeatable will power. H.H. ascended 8067 feet from Birgunj and 6797 feet from Hetauda. The current location is 2617 feet higher than Mount Abu.
The big noise coming from vehicles on the road were indicating the power needed for going up. One truck was noticed to be jammed due to high uphill. The truck driver on the road greeted H.H. Acharya Shree asked "what happened, facing any difficulty?" Driver answered the vehicle is not moving. H.H. blessed the driver and upon help from Ahimsa Yatra followers, hid truck got started in a short while. The planned destination for today is still far and now required some downhill trek.
Acharya Mahashraman bravely facing chilled wind, rain and high uphill trek
Chilled wind from opposite direction was incapable of stopping H.H. The rain was at times slow, at times heavy and stopping occasionally. Clouds were participating well with Ahimsa Yatra caravan and at times keeping close company of H.H.
This way in the mixed weather of cold and rain, H.H. arrived at Daman village after a journey of 13 KM. Today's camping is at View Tower Resort. Irrespective of the difficult weather and location, H.H. delivered the discourse.
Rain continued till afternoon with some breaks in between. Mild sun rays hit earth for some time in afternoon that helped to reduce some cold. Due to chilled wind, it got very cold again around sunset and continued for the night. The peak winter of December in many parts of India had similar intensity of cold as is felt in 1st week of April in this location.