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 5: Descending From Kathmandu To Janakpur
5.1: Cruising Through Series of Challenges
Acharya Mahashraman, person with unshakable will power, didn’t take an exception from Jain rules to cross the mountains on foot. Above picture is from 25th May while Acharya Mahashraman is taking a short break during a long journey of 27 KM in a day
Courage, Caution and Success
Despite the warnings regarding re-occurrence of earthquake and possibilities of landslides, Acharya Mahashraman courageously decided to travel on foot, as required by rules for Jain monks, from Kathmandu to Biratnagar through mountains and not using any vehicle. Self-confident and rich in will power, H.H.’s decision was surprising for many at the same many suspected its success. Even few monks and nuns minds were assailed with questions.
Knowing the possible horrible adversities and risks of travelling through the difficult mountainous route with such a big group of monk and nuns, great spiritualist H.H. was steadfast on the decision and high on will power and at the same time highly alert and cautious towards the dangers.
There came numerous difficulties and furious hurdles during the journey from Kathmandu to Bardibas but H.H. journey continued uninterrupted crossing over all these fearful challenges. Great leadership and vision of H.H. not only cared monks and nuns every moment but also the pious and protecting aura of H.H. kept them at peace during adverse conditions.
Acharya Mahashraman issued a set of guidelines for travel from Kathmandu to Bardibas from safety perspective:
Acharya Mahashraman with monks and nuns with this challenging journey scripted such a history that the past generation will be proud of, present is awe stuck with devotion and future generation will derive inspiration.
22nd May:
Acharya Mahashraman started from Thimi towards Sanga in the morning hours. Impact of earthquake was clearly visible on the way. Many houses have been fully destroyed and many got damaged posing risk for further living. For one of the destroyed house, it was told that 16 people died under it. Vehicles of Nepal Army and Police, engaged in relief operations, were on their way to respective destinations. Numerous NGOs from India, China, Bhutan, Tibet and other countries were helping in relief operations. Huge numbers of vehicles, loaded with relief materials, were indicating people commitment for service.
Women of Sanga welcoming Acharya Mahashraman
H.H. crossed the border of Bhaktapur district and entered Kabhrepal Chowk district. After a walk of 11.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Sanga. Many women from the village welcomed H.H. wearing their traditional dress. Today’s camping is planned at “Hilltech Health Spa and Restaurant” located on a hill.
Acharya Mahashraman caressing Muni Vishrut Kumar at the campsite
The resort is owned by Mr. Kamal Bhansali family, a native of Chapper, Rajasthan, currently living in Kathmandu. One of the buildings in the premises is heavily damaged due to earthquake.
Acharya Mahashraman near the 143 feet statue of Lord Shiva at Sanga camping premises
The resort premise has a 143 feet tall statue of Lord Shiva. It was told that this is the tallest Shiva statue in world.
Journey through Mountain range started
23rd May:
Acharya Mahashraman started for Chaukot in the morning hours. H.H. inspired villagers on the way for value based living and many people vowed for leading addiction free life.
A woman on the way wishing to worship Acharya Mahashraman with flowers but was denied by monks as it’s not as per Terapanth guidelines
Mountain range has started from today’s journey onwards. It was little up and downhill trek in the journey today. Huge stones were lying around at some places that have fallen due to landslides as a result of earthquake. Taking a right turn, Ahimsa Yatra boarded the National Highway. Border of China is just 70 KM from this location. Severe chirping of Crickets was indicating also the start of forest area.
Campsite at Medical college in Chaukot
After a walk of 12.5 KM, H.H arrived at Kathmandu University School of Medical Science in Chaukot. Today’s camping is planned in this premise. It got stormy in the evening and started raining heavily making it cold in the night.
Start of long journeys
24th May:
24th May: Acharya Mahashraman’s journey through mountains
Acharya Mahashraman started towards Patlekhet in the morning. It was more downhill trek today and needed additional effort for keeping the balance. Stones fallen from mountains were spotted occasionally at roadsides. Damage of mountains due to landslides could be seen. Villagers narrated how the boulders came down during earthquake. H.H. occasionally stopped at the villagers and guided for value based living. Many people vowed for addiction free life.After a walk of 7.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Hanuman Higher Secondary School, the proposed campsite for today’s stay at Patlekhet. When H.H. took report from monks and nuns regarding the condition of campsite, it came out that the building has got many cracks and also the “safe place” is quite green (not suitable for Jain monks stay).
Proposed campsite at a school in Patlekhet that turned out to be unsafe for night stay
After thinking a bit, H.H. decided to go to Methinkot, a village 11.5 KM from Patlekhet. Accordingly, after taking the breakfast, H.H. started for Methinkot at around 8:30 AM. People interaction and guidance work of H.H. continued even during such long journey. After a walk of 11.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Janak Higher Secondary School in Methinkot. Today’s camping took place in this school.
24th May: Acharya Mahashraman during the long journey
Total walking distance of today’s journey is 19 KM. Despite such a long walk, H.H. still delivered the morning hour discourse. Without taking significant rest after the walk, H.H. quickly went to the discourse assembly. Almost all the rooms in the campsite had cracks. Rooms with severe cracks were not used for camping. The campsite roof is made of tin which made the afternoon hours very hot but it couldn’t shake H.H. equanimity.
25th May:
Acharya Mahashraman was sitting on porch outside the camping room before starting today’s journey. Electric current started leaking into the iron poles of the nearby Tin shed. Few monks and other people got mild shocks upon touching the poles. Upon knowing this situation, H.H. issued a message for all monks to stay away from the poles and avoid walking at the porch area. This way H.H. pre-cautionary approach was keeping monks and nuns safe.
Sunkoshi River accompanying Ahimsa Yatra through the mountains
H.H. started for Mangaltar in the morning. As the journey was progressing, the hotter it was getting. Water from the waterfalls on the way was getting assimilated with the nearby flowing “Sunkoshi” river.
On one side it was high mountains and the other side of the road had deep abyss. Chances of landslides were very high after the earthquake on this road. As aftershocks are still continuing even after a month of the first major earthquake, landslide can happen anytime. Huge rocks that fell from mountains during landslides could be seen lying around and picturizing the risks in the road. It was told that lot of parts of mountain in this route has got damaged and rocks have come down to the road. Those rocks have been pushed aside to re-open this road. At some places huge rocks have got positioned in a way that a mild trigger will make them fall down.
After a long walk of 17.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Magaltar. Today’s camping was planned at Shree Mangal Jan Vijay Higher Secondary School. The 1st floor of the school is badly damaged and it can come down anytime. Administration has declared this place as “unsafe” and has put a warning board on it. Monks and nuns who have arrived before H.H. at this place concluded that it’s not safe place for camping. Volunteers had already started looking out for a safer place. Accordingly H.H. temporarily camped at local Police station until 2:30 PM today and nuns stayed at Tin shed in “Community vegetables distribution center”.
Acharya Mahashraman in discussion with monk sand nuns for next step as the proposed campsite in Mangaltar for the day turned out to be unsafe
After breakfast at the police station, H.H. decided to move to village Kusheshwar at 9.5 KM from current place. Departure time was scheduled at 2:30 PM. Regular morning discourse assembly was also organized and many people vowed for addiction free life.
Longest Journey
It was too hot in the afternoon. As decided in the morning, Acharya Mahashraman started for Kusheshwar in the afternoon around 2:30 PM. H.H not caring about heat and sweating was equanimous throughout. H.H. didn’t take any support during the uphill and downhill trek.
25th May: A long and tiring walk of 27 KM in a day
After a walk of 9.5 KM, H.H. arrived at Kusheshwar. That’s how the total distance of today’s journey was of 27 KM. It was H.H. longest journey after ascendance to Acharya-hood. Today’s night stay took place at an under-construction “Devisthan Secondary School”. The camping rooms in the school had no doors and also the windows had no doors. The under-construction 1st floor stored wooden logs and stones. So, from safety perspective, H.H. spent the night under tent. School ground was mostly covered with grass and that is not suitable for Jain monks for camping. As there was no other suitable place in the school premises, the tent was placed on an area covered with stones.
Acharya Mahashraman camping tent anchored on stony floor as no other suitable place was available
Horrible Thunderstorm
H.H. retired for sleeping in the night under the tent. Sky started getting covered with clouds. Tired with long and hectic walk, most of the monks and nuns were fast asleep but the nature hasn’t stopped yet in examining their will power. At around 11 pm in night horrible storm started with heavy rain. The storm was so severe that the tent, under which H.H. was camping, seemed no longer safe and steady. It started shaking heavily. It felt like the tent top will fly soon. It was also not able to bear the weight of the accumulated rain water. Volunteers were cautious and they came running to hold the tent. Braving the severe storm and cold rain, volunteers held the tent steadily.
The monks sleeping in the school rooms also got awake. Rain water was coming inside through the open windows. All the other tents used by the caravan co-travelers also started shaking. It felt like the entire construction will come down. Most of the monks stood at the porch. Similar was the situation with nuns camping at another building. There was also a mild tremor. Everyone was worried about H.H. safety.
Nature has not stopped yet. After sometime it started thundering heavily and horribly. Not only there were furious lightening but also it felt like lightening might strike down near camping area. Now the situation has got even more fearful. Doubts started assailing people’s mind. After around half hour of heavy storm, it started getting weaker, thundering reduced and also the rain. After sometime the nature was again at peace.
In the midst of such furious dance of nature, H.H. was safe and so were monks and nuns in the holy presence of H.H.
The impact of this storm was clearly visible during the next day journey. Tin and wooden roofs of many houses have flown away and fell hundreds of feet apart. Many houses have got damaged from the strike of these flying tins and wooden plates.
People coming from Kathmandu informed about similar storm at Kathmandu and that despite staying in concrete buildings they got scared by such thunderstorm. They were surprised how H.H. might have faced the storm in tent and monks and nuns in rooms without doors.