Yogi catches popular imagination

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, March 26: A suburb in the capital — Tapketar of Sundarijal VDC — has caught the popular imagination. People are making a beeline for the non-descript village for a glimpse of a spiritual soul rapt in meditation, who has been camping here for the past few weeks. Overnight, Krishna Prasad Dhakal (24) — a resident of Deurali of Baseri VDC in Dhading — has become a celebrity. His quest for a perfect meditation spot ended here, an oasis of serenity, surrounded by pipal, banyan and chap trees. Dhakal, who studied till Class 10, took to farming in his formative years, like most rural folks. “His tryst with meditation started about a month ago. It was the second day of Mahashivaratri. He has taken a pledge that he would maintain silence during meditation,” said Dipendra Tamang, a local resident. His method to contemplate has also gone through a makeover. Initially, he meditated in an open place for nine days. Then, he made a hole in the ground to further his spiritual quest for a week. “He was happy with the progress of his meditation. He distributed tika and prasad to the visitors over the next six days,” claimed the locals. “Around 4,000 people have received his healing touch for various ailments like stomach pain, headache and psychiatric disorder. He has adopted a unique method to meditate for the past 11 days. He has been sitting in a triangle-shaped cradle that hangs from a tree,” said Top Bahadur Khadka, a local resident. Another local Dol Bahadur Pandit (76), who has been playing host to the yogi at night, had an interesting insight of the ‘hanging baba’. “I have been witnessing a miracle for the past three nights. He becomes invisible for 15 minutes, only to be found in the cradle in his meditative posture,” claimed Pandit. Dhakal’s brother Narayan elaborated on his spiritual bent of mind. “He liked to wander around since his childhood. He would go missing frequently for days. He came to the capital on the occasion of Mahashivaratri and never returned to our village,” he said. Meanwhile, Sundarijal Yogi Management Committee — a hurriedly-formed panel — has come forward to provide him security cover. “Devotees are offering him cash daily. The amount is multiplying by the day. Hence, the management committee has been formed for the yogi’s welfare,” said Rajendra Shrestha, chairman of the panel. This news article was published in THE HIMALAYAN TIMES on March 27, 2009.