A weekly magazine of THE KATHMANDU POST ( THE SUNDAY POST )

R E C O L L E C T I O N S

rowing number of Nepali young people seek inner peace. U Shrestha discovers this after her visit to Mt. Abu, India, an abode of peace, harmony and joy.

As we were having a chat at Pandav Bhawan, a sub branch of Bramha Kumari Ashram, at Mt. Abu, India, a clean-shaved young disciple of Baba (founder of the Ashram) approached us to offer Prasad, which we received very respectfully. He then asked in Nepali if we would like to go around the Bhavan to see how things operate in the home of god. Stunned as were, we gazed at him for a second. He was a Nepali young man. Unexpected meeting with a fellow countryman in a foreign country aroused curiosity.

Before we put any question, the man explained us that he was a Nepali from Biratnagar, an eastern part of the country, residing there presently to serve in Ashram and the people.

The strong faith in Baba (corporal founding father of Prajapita Bramha Kumari Ishwariya Vishwa Vidhalaya) landed him four years ago in Mount Abu, the holy place of Brahma kumar and kumaris slamming the well-paid job at a security office in India, says Birendra Shrestha.

He found that his search for the peace is close at hand: in the Ashram, he said adding that in the lap of Baba, the incarnation of Brahma (caretaker of Living beings) he found the precious inner peace.

Like Shrestha, Khem Thapa, a middle aged Nepali thinks himself a lucky one to be at the service of Baba’s Ashram- an opportunity rarely bestowed upon some lucky ones only. About 20 years ago he landed in Mt Abu- the holy place.

" The Inner peace one gets here is beyond expression, and beyond comparison " he said exuding radiance.

Bikas Shrestha, a teacher of a local school in Bhaktapur was so much fascinated by the teachings of Baba that he intends to lead the life of Brahma Kumar (to surrender one’s soul to god and to remain single to be at the disposal of needy)

He says he felt so much relaxed and peace after visiting the holy place that he thinks this as the last destination

Reina Pradhan, another schoolteacher at a local school of Bhaktapur is damely passionate to serve in the Ashram in Mt. Abu. " The place is heaven like for me" she says. She has been strictly practicing the teachings of Baba.

They have no other aim now but to serve people- the only way to secure divine happiness. They take pride in being a Brahma Kumar (bachelors) for life.

‘We feel happy when we serve people, The more we serve, the more happy we are " Thapa says with a smile

About 20 Nepalese, majority of whom are young, are serving at various institutions or center of Brahma Kumari Ashram presently in Mount Abu.

Living far from maddening crowd, the disciples of Baba believe in simple living and high thinking, mutual respect and love. They work together for peace and harmony, for progress lies in peace and harmony. Their true love for peace and harmony fascinate any one who visits ashram in Mt Abu.

In Kathmandu itself, there is a surge of interest among young people under stress to seek peace in Ashram.

Just ten years back, there were a handful of disciples in the capital.

Sharda Shrestha, a senior disciple from Birgunj who is recently in capital expresses her surprise to see a huge gathering of people in a local Ashram in the capital.

"Things have tremendously changed" she reacts.

Going back to the history of Brahma Kumari Ashram, the home to peace lovers is not long ago. About 65 years ago, it came into existence initially in its nucleus form as a family institution. Dada Lekh Raj, who in his late sixties reportedly had a vision of incorporeal supreme soul- the being of light (Supreme father God Shiva), founded it for the welfare of mankind. Legends have it one of the visions he saw was that a value based society, characterized by love, peace, harmony, health happiness and law and order will become an emerging reality during the early decades of the next century. He had a divine call to be an embodiment of virtues to set an example of divinity, to inspire others by this practical life and to create other human instruments like himself to spread education in values, meditation and holistic knowledge so that the Golden Age might dawn.