Efforts underway to promote Damauli as a religious tourism destination

By Amar Raj Naharki

Tanahun, Oct. 20: Speakers have stressed the need to develop Damauli, the birthplace of Maharshi Veda Vyas, the composer of the four Vedas, the Mahabharata, and the 18 Puranas, as a religious tourism destination.  Speaking at the 10th ‘World Omkar and Hindu Mahamilan Festival,’ organised by the Veda Followers Association, Central Committee Tanahun, on the premises of Vyas Cave, they suggested that the sacred land of Sage Vyasa could be established as a global center of the Hindu faith.

Chief guest Saint Guru Om Baba said that Vyas Cave is not only the pride of Tanahun or Nepal, but also a spiritual center of the entire Hindu civilisation. Baikuntha Neupane, Mayor of Vyas Municipality, said that the municipality has prioritised the development of Sage Vyasa's land as a religious tourism hub.

 “We are working to integrate sites such as Vyas Cave, Parashar region, Chhabdi Barahi, and Manungkot into a unified religious circuit, and infrastructure development has already begun,” he added.

Researcher Kashinath Neupane presented various scriptural references identifying Damauli as the birthplace of Veda Vyas, adding that a lack of promotion has kept the region in obscurity.

According to him, the confluence of five rivers, Seti, Madi, Buldi, Gunadi, and Chhabdi, is described as a source of spiritual knowledge and enlightenment. 

Baikuntha Mishra, President of the Tanahun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that religious tourism could strengthen the local economy. According to him, the spiritual and natural beauty of the Vyas Cave area has the potential to attract both domestic and international tourists. 

The grand festival led by chief patron Shantiswaroopananda Damodar Baba and patron Govinda Baba will run until November 16. According to the organisers, throughout the festival, daily rituals such as Rudri, Chandi, Vedic and Puran recitations, planetary peace rites, Kaal­sarp yoga relief ceremonies, as well as Ganga Aarti and Harinam Sankirtan in the evenings, will be held.