Sindhulimadi, May 17

Five months after he had gone underground following allegations of rape and mysterious disappearance of his devotees, Ram Bahadur Bamjan, the self-styled ‘Buddha boy’ who has drawn much controversy of late due to his behaviour, appeared in Sindhuli today.

According to Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangh Central Member Chhatra Ghising, Bamjan blessed his devotees at his Dhapsar-based ashram in Kamalamai.

“As the 14th Bishwo Shanti Mahamaitri Puja, a religious ceremony for world peace started from yesterday, the Guru appeared to bless his devotees,” according to Ghising. He said that the puja was special this time as it would be conducted in Maitri language which Ghising claimed was invented by his Guru, Bamjan.

“He spent six years inventing the language and its alphabet, which will be used to conduct the puja for the first time. For now, the language and its alphabet are in practice within the ashram only. It will be made public for outsiders later,” Ghising said.

According to him, a total of 5,050 religious leaders from 77 districts of the country and from abroad are involved in the puja.

Today, commoners had queued up for hours under the scorching sun to get a sight of Bamjan and receive blessings from him. Those waiting to meet him were asked to take off shoes, belt, mobile, jewellery, glasses and watch, among other accessories.

Earlier, complaints had been filed at the district police offices in Bara and Makawanpur against the self-styled ‘guru’ accusing him of disappearing his devotees.

The complaint against him in Bara was triggered by the mysterious disappearance of Phulmaya Rumba, a devotee. According to her family, Rumba had gone to Bara’s Halkhoriya forest to commit herself to the service of the ‘guru’ and never returned home. In another case, Mahendra Waiba of Padmapokhari filed a complaint at Makawanpur DPO citing the disappearance of his father Sanchalal, from the Guru’s meditation site in Sindhupalchowk, more than four years ago.

Bomjan had withdrawn himself from public sphere all of a sudden after police started raiding his ashrams.

Bamjan’s Dhapsar-based ashram spreads across more than 60 bigha land. Of the land, 42 bigha was purchased by Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangh, the remaining land was given by a local community forest.

As per sources, 178 persons, including four foreigners have been meditating at an ashram in the forest for the past three months.

According to Chief District Officer Gyan Prasad Dhakal, his office hasn’t received any instructions from higher authorities to investigate Bamjan.