Khaptad to host spiritual conference

By Our Correspondent,Dhangadhi, June 4: A three-day spiritual conference is going to be held in Khaptad, a major tourism destination in the Sudurpashchim Province, this week.

Scheduled to begin on Tuesday and conclude on Thursday, the conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and participated by federal and provincial ministers, Indian yoga guru Ramdev, General Secretary of Patanjali Yog Peeth Balkrishna Acharya and other spiritual personalities. Acharya has already arrived in Nepal.

A 401-member committee has been set up under Sudurpashchim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah to prepare for the conference and 12 sub-committees have been formed under it.

Another preparation and management committee has also been formed under the leadership of Harka Bahadur Singh, chairman of the Khaptad Area Tourism Development and Management Committee, for the conference.

According to Singh, the conference is being organised to protect and promote the region's religion, culture and spiritualism. 

"We believe the conference will publicise Khaptad's natural beauty internationally and help the world understand the importance of yoga, meditation and Sadhana," he said.

It is estimated that the conference, being jointly organised by Sudurpashchim's Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment, Nepal Tourism Board, Khaptad Area Tourism Development and Management Committee and the local government, will cost around Rs. 30 million. 

Noting that the beauty and divinity of Khaptad is even described in the book Manaskhanda, Singh recalled the Sadhana practiced by the Khaptad Baba and called on the state to do more to promote the sacred area.

1008 Khaptad Baba, also known as Swami Sachidananda Saraswoti, is described as having spent 50 Springs of his life in Khaptad. He came here at the age of 65 after studying and teaching eastern philosophy at Kashi, India's Dakshinamurti Math. 

Having large pastures covered with colourful flowers, pristine ponds and exceptional biodiversity, Khaptad is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana, the largest of all Hindu Puranas. Meanwhile, the Mahabharata states that Yudhishthira passed through Khaptad on his way to heaven. 

Ambassadors of 16 different countries have also been invited to the conference, which is expected to be attended by more than 500 people.