Rafting-Rafting in Sunkoshi and Botekoshi attracts the tourist in Nepal.
Water-falls – Pokali water-falls attracts the tourists who are religious and loves natural beauty. If Pokali water fall could be advertised within Nepal it would relief the public of Okhaldhunga. We can take an example of Pathibhara as a symbol of Devi temple in Taplejung district, the public in Ilam named it as Pathibhara. Visitors from Darjaling and Sikkim visit Pathibhara, this shows that if people have unity the work becomes successful.
Gadhi – Historical corners “gadhi” are found to be constant. Repair and maintenance of gadhi could attract the tourist. Chasankhu gadhi of Diyale and Kotkateni gadhi of Thulachhap are also found to be not well taken care of.
Cave – Cave has great significance throughout the world. Our ancestors used to live in the cave and wodhar? One of the most popular cave of Pokhara “Mahendra gufa” has demonstrated of attraction of tourist towards cave and wodhar . Chameru Gufa of Okhaldunga Bilandu has proved to be playground “kridasthal” of chameru. The darkness inside the chameru gufa makes it difficult for people to go inside. If proper arrangement could be done, travel would be convenient for the people in the district, and it would make it possible to collect the money as well.
Religion- Okhaldhunga has a lot of religious conviction center. After Kathmandu the most faithful conviction center and ????? ?????? should be in Okhaldhunga district. The most popular Pokali water fall and forest shaman cave “ban-jhakri gufa” are found in the district, we have established an institution, “Pokali Jharana Sewa Samajh” to spread the information of these beauty and also to help the sufferers and the orphan locally. Okhaldhunga has the most faithful temples; Shree Champadevi temple in Bilandu -9, Kotika Kalika Devi temple in Chisankhu, Jageshwar Mahadev temple in Salleri Laglage, Pokhara devi temple in Tin Kanya Devi temple Pokhara-1, Namaideshwor Mahadev temple in Singhadevi Temple, Kuibhir -5, Mahadev temple of Thulibanshi in Bunnam and Kuntadevi temple of Khudampa in Diyale, Samanawati devi temple in Barnalu-9, Raghuwireshowr Mahadev temple in Okhaldhunga bazaar, and Kalikadevi in Saraswati sthan, Jalpadevi in Bhimsensthan, Watuk bhairab Ganesh temple. Involvement of local government bodies and local people of Okhaldhunga in spreading the information of these temple to people is seem to be important. Social and cultural institution should also play leadership role in the process.
Gumba – 15% of Buddhist are in Okhaldhunga and we have eight popular gumba which are also not well informed to the public. Some popular gumba of the district are Tolthol gumba, Riyal gumba and Dolakhark gumba of Patle, Kimardin gumba of Bhusinga, Ketuke gumba of Ketuke, Bhirkhark gumba of Khijiphalate, Ghunsa gumba of Baruneshwor and Lamja gumba of Ragani. These gumba attracts both national and foreign tourists, and nuns and monks. We need to do some fine-grained research studies on gumba of Manang, Mustang and Rasuwa. In reality it is not practicle for Okhaldhunga if you stay in a room like you would if you were to make a development strategy for national planning in Kathmandu. The reason behind this is only the local public of Okhaldhunga knows the taste of water, and they have love and affection for Okhaldhunga. These local public of Okhaldhunga live their life and send the last minute of their life in Okhaldhunga due to which they should be devoted in development of the district and spreading the information to help growth of the tourism. We should be free from our misunderstanding of the Government employees, they are not going to benefit Okhaldhunga nor are they going to view Okhaldhunga with a sacred vision.

Things to do to make Okhaldhunga a tourism sector:
People living outside the district needs to spread the information of Okhaldhunga.
Integrate the religious and racial unity in the district.
Coordinate the plans and programs of Okhaldhunga to the Non-government organizations.
A feeling of “Village development is development of your own home” should be developed.

If we could adopt these above mentioned points, it will not take long for us to reach to our goals and objectives

The Webster Dictionary defines Guru as “a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism.” Guru Kedar would certainly fit this definition, but he is much more than just a religious teacher or a spiritual guide. Not only has Guru Kedar traveled the globe spreading his philosophy and teachings on life on earth and beyond, but he has also used his “tantric” abilities to actually heal the sick, strengthen the weak, guide the lost, and uplift the discouraged. Guru received the supernatural abilities in Nepal, following his abduction, at age seven, by “Ban Jhakri” (a forest-dwelling, ape-like human progenitor, believed to be one of Lord Shiva’s associates).

How do you get in touch with Guru?

As Guru’s supernatural power becomes widely known, a growing number of people around the world want to meet with Guru. In recent years, Guru has traveled as far and wide as the U.S.A., Europe and, of course, Asia. Some want to meet Guru to hear his discourse on tantras, mantras, and astrology; others simply want his blessings for themselves or their beloved; and still others want to learn the “shamanistic skills” from Guru. Guru kindly offers his help to one and all. To invite Guru to your country or city, please contact him at the following address: ashram@gurukb.com and ashram.nepal@gmail.com.

In addition to keeping up with his growing international demands, Guru, a native of Nepal, maintains a strong presence at home through an establishment, called “the Ashram.” The Kathmandu, Nepal-based Ashram is a sanctuary for many who want to seek Guru’s help and advice in a wide array of issues. Here at the Ashram, Guru can often be seen in trance, a state in which the spirit enters his body; and through this spirit, Guru can see the past, the present and the future. Amazingly, and in sharp contrast to many soothsayers, Guru can use his transcendental powers to actually figure out the root causes of an individual’s physical, mental or psychological ailment, and at the supplicant’s request, even perform the requisite “puja” (i.e., a quasi-religious ritual) to address the root causes. Some examples of common ailments treated by Guru include alcoholism, drug addiction, infertility, career problems, and romance.

Guru’s Ashram, currently under the supervision of Krishna K. Bhattarai and Rina Thapa, is located at:

Ashram Nepal Battis Putali

Gaushala, Kathmandu

Nepal

Phone: 0977 62 18829

Mobile: 0977 9851082506

To many, Guru Kedar is a mystical figure and his practices an enigma. But it should be noted that Guru Kedar is a most pragmatic and open-minded person, who completely understands the skepticism (or even cynicism) surrounding his shamanistic practices.

Shamanism can be loosely defined as the “communication with the spirit world.” The spirit world here could represent the dead ancestors, or even deities and demons of a certain religious sect. The underlying tenets of this belief system are that spirits exist, that they can be good or evil, and that the shamanistic experts (called the shamans) can communicate with the spirits to influence their effects on individual(s).

In today’s scientific world, the notion of spirits and shamanism may seem a bit misguided; however, upon further reflection, one realizes that it is not necessarily so. Indeed, most or all religions in the world subscribe to this notion in one form or another. Likewise some of the most decorated scientists in the world acknowledge the existence of supernatural powers that science today simply cannot explain or deny. For instance, Albert Einstein once observed: “My religiosity consists in a humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit that reveals itself in the little that we, with our weak and transitory understanding, can comprehend of reality.” Louis Pasteur, too, could no more deny his faith in God than he could his belief in science, when he remarked, “The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator.” In other words, the fact that we cannot see the God, that we cannot hear the spirits, or that we cannot understand the supernatural does not mean that the God, the spirits, or the supernatural does not exist.

With that said, shamanism, like any religion, is based on a set of beliefs and is not for everyone. As Guru Kedar eloquently observed: “[Shamanism] is not a thing that everyone trusts and it is not mandatory for everyone to believe. Faith is a feeling [that] comes from within.” With that said, more and more people seem to believe in and seek the blessings of Guru Kedar, partly because they are at awe of his ability to “see” the past and the future, as well as impressed by his powers to address the varied concerns people have about matters such as their health, family, and career. In America, people say, Seeing is believing. Well, this certainly seems to apply for the millions that have seen Guru carry out his God-given gift.

To learn more or to meet Guru in person, please contact Guru’s Ashram at:

Ashram Nepal Battis Putali, Gaushala, Kathmandu, Nepal

Email: ashram@gurukb.com or ashram.nepal@gmail.com

Phone: 0977 62 18829 or 0977 9851082506

I happened to read two articles on the prospects of the development of the Pokali waterfall watershed of Okhaldhunga district in the issues of the 6th and 8th February, 07 of the Jagaran Times. Almost obsessed by the overwhelming political literature on present Nepal, I felt excited to turn to the concept of development.

I was born and brought up in the hills of Ilam and am familiar with the problems and prospects of development in the hills. I have never been to Okhaldhunga, but the two articles mentioned above made me feel that I know the district almost from my heart. The truth is that I had only read the poem entitled Mero Pyaro Okhaldhunga by poet Siddhicharan on the beauty and love of Okhandhunga during my school days.

Although I did not write any poem myself, that poem had aroused a deep sense of love for my own district in my mind and I spent six important formative years of my career in the service of Ilam, as the founder principal of its college. I was exposed to the issues of development in Ilam where I was also motivated and involved in a lot of activities other than the running of the college. Sharing this experience, I want to speculate on the development prospects in the Pokali waterfall area of Okhaldhunga.

Although Ilam had the initial advantage of being exposed to the development prospects because of its proximity with the Darjeeling area of West Bengal, Okhaldhunga is situated in the central eastern hills and can have the future advantage of sustained growth centre. I have not seen any leader or planner with this focus of development in the context of Okhaldhunga. But, looking at the central location of the district, this is a definite prospect. Ilam had the initial push because of its cash crop potentials particularly that of the tea plantation, cardamom plantation, ginger plantation, potato farming, cattle raising for dairy, all of which were export oriented. Lately, it is trying its hands at the growth of tourism. Ilam has natural attractions that can allure increasing number of tourists. It has also got some religious places that can attract tourists.

Going through the two articles in the Jagaran Times, one feels that Okhaldhunga is blessed with the most attractive natural marvels. The Pokali waterfall is just one. The district headquarters is the obvious one which inspired Siddhicharan Shrestha to compose the immortal poem on its beauty and love. A stretch of imagination comes into my mind connecting Okhaldhunga Bazaar with the Pokali waterfall, approximately two days leisurely walk on foot. If this stretch is made motorable, a vast array of socio economic development can be launched with the local resources alone. The Pokali fall is the obvious attraction for the outsider tourist, but the people living on either side of the road can make the most unexpected economic gains from the road.

The road connects the centre not only with the ultimate destination but also with the outreach along the road. Every road has a hinterland with plenty of resources and products. The road is the booster of the resource use and the products. The present state of the products may be rudimentary. But the road brings in qualitative changes or improvement in the production process and quantum, delivery services and marketing. If there are cottage level indigenous industries in the region, their quality will be improved, their quantity will be vastly increased and their potential market will be expanded several times. Similarly, in the case of agriculture, the subsistence level farming can be converted into a market based cash farming, hugely improving the economic status of the farmers. There is the prospect of agro-based industries.

One obvious prospect is that of development of tourism. The Pokali fall is so fascinating that it will attract a horde of tourists. But the mere attraction of nature is not enough. Tourism needs a range of infrastructure. The first is the road which we presume there will be in the near future. But there is a greater need for the accommodation of the incoming tourists. Hotels are the priority need. Good food and comfortable lodge will attract a large number of tourists. Resorts are the present fashion. They can run a number of entertainment and adventurous activities in and around the resorts. If good and comfortable resorts are made, we can expect national and international tourists. They can arrange a number of local cultural shows as part of their entertainment programmes. They can make tracks on either side of the 130 metre fall where lovers will spend imaginative moments of their life. You can go on imagining. The sky is the limit.

But who will take the lead? The central level politicians have no spare time from their politics of indulgence in power. The local level politicians are dependent on their central leaders. No visionary leader ever looks back into the villages. The villages need a lead, but a true lead is not forthcoming. When the shape of future of Nepal itself is not structured, the future of local structure is all the more foggy. In such a state of affairs, the leaders are not expected to take a deterministic step in local level development. That is the fate of local development now.

But there is a ray of hope in the case of the Pokali fall and its watershed area. Enthusiastic local youths of Okhaldhunga presently studying or working and residing in the capital have taken a due initiative to form a society called the Pokali Waterfall Service Society (PWSS). There are several inspirational features in the society. There are 14 founder members under the inspired chairmanship of a tantric student named Guru Kedar Baral. All the 14 members are young and energetic. Their composition is inclusive in nature with three women, two dalit and two Sunuwar members/ office bearers. With less than a year in existence, they have already published a calendar which could be the beginning of the tourism promotion activity. The Society is now articulating its future strategy. They can augment their work by working in collaboration with the development agencies some of which are named below.

Until a new local governance structure is developed under a new constitution, the District Development Committee (DDC) is the proper local governance unit that can decide the development activities within the district. Above the DDC, the Ministry of Local Development (MLD) is the central government agency that coordinates the local development programs and provides needed resources. Apart from that, a number of international governmental, intergovernmental and non governmental agencies are also involved in different programmes of local development. To take some examples, CARE/Nepal has been involved in a number of watershed management programs; SNV of the Netherlands and GTZ of Germany

are involved in different local development programs; UNDP has been supporting a number of local development programs.

The PWSS is a non governmental initiative that will harness support from all the possible sources. DDC is urged not only to support it but also to develop it as a model to be emulated by the other regions of the district. The government is urged to give it the needed resources and other support. The donors are urged to extend their helping hands in the development of the Pokali watershed area. The intellectuals are urged to develop a proper focus on the parameters of local or regional development. The hoteliers or resort owners are urged to expand their business in the rural areas, and give this venture a realistic consideration. Tourism must flourish in the private sector. It

will be the good policy of the government to promote such people oriented programs.

On this video, Guru Baral is joined by one of his follower being guided by Guru himself and she is joined by her husband. In the third video she also shares her thoughts about the practice.

Guru Kedar Baral shares his thoughts while being interviewed by Nabin KC at Alexandria, Virginia, USA.

This video shows Guru Baral fasting for over 10 hours while practicing his shamanism embracing power of the ocean-water at Daytona, Florida.

This is the native way of teaching or learning shamanism in nepal. In the video you see, are two participants, Guru kedar baral is a shaman and a teacher, whereas Akhil Thapa is a prospect and the prodidgy here.

Guru Kedar Baral’s Birthday Party, New York, USA

They do not get their regular food, nutrition is out of question. Thus, they badly needed care and health improvement. In such circumstances, parents are helpless providing education to their chidlren.Thus, with the blessings of god, if we could provide good education to the children, the future of Okhaldhunga would certainly be better. Yet, without certain amount of wealth elimination of poverty is impossible. In the year 2003, a primary level school had been started by the Nepal Government. Anyhow, with great difficulty, the PokaliFalls.com.np organization has dragged it to the lower secondary level. Yet the problem does not end here, as the school should provide secondary level of education too. Thus, the organization invites the people all over the world to come and visit the heavenly place Okhaldhunga as well as the most enchanting Pokali Falls.

Side by side, the organization requests the would be guests to have a look at the local people and the situation they are living at. The local people provide amusement to the Guests with their cultural programmes which includes Damphu Nach (dance) of Tamangs and Sherpas. The Jhakaris forecast the future of the visitors if they happen to wish. One can observe everything starting from religion to culture to the farming. The place is easily accessible as a road links it with the capital city of Kathmandu and there is a regular bus service too. Finally, the organization heartily invites the people to come and observe one of the most beautiful places of the world as well as have mercy on the poor and innocent people surviving there without any kind of grudge.

learn more at www.okhaldhunga.org

This project is an effort to preserve, conserve and rebuilt the old Mahadev temple by the private contribution of the members who have committed to this mission. This project aims to promote spirituality among all who shall access this temple, people who believe in it by visiting the temple or by praying in the name of Dugdheshwore Mahadev from wherever they are.

We believe in applying our gyan and buddhi of mantras, tantras, yantras, hatyog, kundlini, astrology, ayurved and vastudosh to serve people and society.
The mission of Ashram Nepal is to assist public through various health and education programs. Ashram Nepal has been helping sick people with spiritual belief healing from physical, mental and emotional diseases.

We aim to spread the understanding and power of the spiritual realm through training people to be shamans themselves, to help people be able to intercede between humanity and powerful good and evil spirits. Our primary goal is to help people with spiritual awakening.

This organization focuses on education as this is the best way to break the cycle of poverty. The needs are numerous. There are challenges are visible everywhere – access, quality education materials, teachers, equipment, conducive environment. Children have to walk for hours each way everyday to even get to the school. The quality of the schools and teachers is also not adequate. There is no access to computers. On top of that, parents are not adequately aware of the importance of education of their children.

Since the problems are numerous, there are many ways people can help. One of the biggest problems is the availability of schools, availability of teachers, availability of buildings, availability of books, and supplies. This organization can work to overcome various needs like providing books and supplies, clothes, computer education, and foreign language literacy.

At a more ambitious level, this organization also increase access to education by mobilizing people to build new schools, make primary schools into secondary schools, and secondary schools into post-secondary schools.

learn more at www.okhaldhunga.org