Kavre, March 18:

People today thronged the Thaplu forest at Panauti-10 to take a glimpse of Ek Chandra (Basudev) Poudel, 26, who claims to have been meditating there for the past two months.

Some students, who had gone into the jungle to collect rhododendron about a month ago, had seen a man meditating, but did not tell anything to anyone because Poudel had threatened to curse them if they told anything.

Eyewitnesses said, Poudel is dressed in yellow cloth and has covered his mouth with a muffler and is meditating in a cave. He has a sickle and a water jar near him and there are several coins, offered by visitors, lying scattered.

Poudel, who hails from Barhabise of Sindhupalchowk district, said he was searching a suitable place and started meditating in search of peace when he reached the jungle. Poudel, who was staying at Ranganath Temple at Panauti-12, moved to the jungle after there was obstruction in his meditation. He said he eats raw vegetables once a week. “I stop meditation for a day in a week to take a bath and have some food.”

Poudel, who has completed Uttar Madhyama in Sanskrit from Ayodhya in India, started mediating in different places some four years ago, after the death of his mother, relatives said.

Two policemen have been deployed for Poudel’s security.