Who was Khaptad Baba? (Biography) by Ganesh B. Dhami

Khaptad Baba

Khaptad Swami or Khaptad Baba was an eremite who is reported to one day have come to the Khaptad plateau of western Nepal from Punjab, India during 1940s in his 60s. Yet, some historians argue that he had come from Pakistan since some of his writings are written in Urdu. Much about the origin and background of Khaptad Swami is shrouded in mystery. Some speculate that he was a medical doctor trained in England. It is rumored that when he was practicing in a hospital, he was astonished by some miracles of life and death phenomenon, like a declared dead person revived, which was almost impossible from the perspective of modern science. He was once, desperately trying to save the life of a child. But minute by minute, the child was going towards the dark cave of the death. He found himself utterly helpless. Then, a hermit came in his town of Jammu-Kashmir with Himalayan herbs and power of Yoga, saved the life of that child. After that incident, he knew that the will power (the energy of thought) and Himalayan herbs were far more powerful and useful than the modern medical science. He forsook his flourishing medical profession and initiated studying Vedas and Upanishadhas. He began spending most of his time with the spiritual Gurus.

He travelled throughout, from Kashmir to Meghalaya. As an ascetic, the Himalaya attracted him. But the Khaptad Plateau of Far-Western Nepal attracted him most and he was hypnotized by the magical charm of this land. Hence, he chose this place for dwelling. Very soon, after establishing his hermitage over a small cave, he started meditating and exploring the natural and historical wonders of the forest. He realized that Khaptad Plateau was the centre of ‘Latter-Vedic’ civilization (of Mahabharata period between 1500BC-500BC) and an unfathomable storehouse of magical herbs. He had told a Nepali historian that he had seen some prehistorical archeological antiquities inside the deep birch forests. He had said that spiritual eco-tourism should be developed in Khaptad not haphazardly but strictly in a very careful and planned way.

Triveni Dham, Khaptad Nepal

Khaptad Swami also knew that, the first one to practice Yoga and profounder of ‘Shankhya Yoga’ philosophy was Lord Shiva himself, and Khaptad was the most suitable place on the earth to practice Yoga and Meditation. He had enlightened thousands of people saying that if one is tired of chemical mixed food and allopathy, he should try to know his body, mind and soul and also get acquainted with Yoga and nature cure. He himself used to wind-back the clock of his life, to an ageless age, when and where; there were only his body, mind, soul and nature, under the shadows of Mahankala (the God of Eternal Time and Space). For days together, it is said, he could live in this state of ‘Savasana' (corpselike pose of Yoga) without food, in the small cave under his hermitage, while there would be no human being for dozens of miles, and musk deer and leopards were the only company and the Plateau would be below 10 feet of ice. Khaptad Swami knew from the study of Puranas, that Lord Shiva had, for the first time, used medicinal herbs to cure the sick in the foothills of Khaptad in Baidhya Nath in Achham district, while waiting to marry Goddess Parvati. Khaptad Swami, followed Lord Shiva and started curing the sick. He had also known that the heap of wealth of Lord Kubera, was in Badi Malika (a sacred place in Bajura district), but the wealth in the form of gold and precious stones meant nothing to him. Very probable is the fact that, he knew about the mineral deposits of gold, uranium, mica, aquamarine and other precious stones in this area, but never disclosed; fearing that the human greed will spoil this Shangri-la(paradise).

Once, he was travelling in a jeep with a few other people. He put a number of questions one after another about the vehicle to the driver. One of the men, a fervent admirer of the Swami, became irritated. Why a wise man like him needed to know about a jeep, he asked Swami. “There is no harm in accumulating knowledge on any subject or from any source,” replied Swami. But there were certain topics he always avoided. “Ask me anything but not my age” was the preamble to many conversations. In any event, he never divulged either his name or anything of his own life to anyone including to late King Birendra who used to go to consult him and seek his blessings on several occasions.

He was undoubtedly a good, learned and widely read man. He was a healer and used medicinal plants to treat villagers from the surrounding districts of Doti, Bajhang, Achham and Bajura, who brought yoghurt and food in exchange. Not only he cured human beings but also he once had pulled a thorn out of a leopard’s paw. Some of the vials of antibiotics/penicillin, bottles of saline etc. can still be seen in his hermitage in Khaptad National Park. He was not just a religious person but highly knowledgeable saint with fluent knowledge of science and English language. He wrote several books such as Dharma Vigyan, Swasthya Vigyan, Ma ra Mero Kartabya, Yog Vigyan, Vichar Vigyan, Aatma Gyan and Vedanta Vigyan.

Once, King Birendra requested the Swami to keep at least one helping hand as he had crossed 100 years of his life. Swami in his latter days, had even more detached himself from this world, but even then, the beauty and spiritual atmosphere of Khaptad always charmed him. Later, King Birendra had proposed to build a sophisticated temple for him in Budhakantha(Kathmandu) and urged him (Swami) to reside over there. But he immediately declined his idea saying "Khaptad is my most adored place, only it itself can be its alternative." Thereafter, King Birendra deployed a brigade of Army so as to assist Swami after more than three decades of his arrival to Khaptad in 1985 A.D. (2043 B.S.). It is said that Khaptad Swami was instrumental in persuading the King to give National Park status to Khaptad. Then, the army used to arrange one maanaa of milk per day for Swami.

A grazing stallion at the hypnotizing prairie of Khaptad National park

The well established doctor and the legendary Hindu Guru who later came to be recognized as Sri 1008 Paramahansa Schitananda Saraswati, popularly known as Khaptad Swami passed away on May 9, 1996(2052 BS), probably at the age of 110. Khaptad is now an open museum and shrine. The Khaptad National Park is named after him. There is a small hut for his bedroom, another hut for his meeting room and the third one for his helpers. Currently, there are books he wrote, his bed, clothes, his statue and bathroom in the place. There is also a helipad to the south of the hermitage where helicopters carrying the royal family and other influential and elite people from Kathmandu once used to land. Now, Khaptad is considered as a place for retreat, contemplation, and meditation – perhaps an ideal destination for a nature lover and yoga practitioner. Nepal army post situated at Khaptad is taking care of the hermitage now-a-days.

What to learn from him?

·         Simple living - He lived a humble life with minimum requirements. He could have lived a sophisticated life if he wished.

·         Kindness - He was a kind and humble person. He behaved equally well with common people to the royal members.

·         Responsibility - He has written some books in which he teaches people to be duty-bound, friendly and good to all members of family- to help each other, live together, and to share joys and sorrow together.

·         Good Thought - He has taught to remain positive, think good and do good, and then everything else will be good. He taught to do no harm to anyone, self or others. He seems to be teaching us to be good from the core of heart, from the sub-conscious level. Steadiness in good or bad times with positive attitude/optimism can help.

·         Meditation - He used to practice meditation. This can be a good thing to all of us. It has been suggested to most of the people to be positive/hopeful/good. Many people do it. Except some unfavorable conditions, regular yoga and meditation can help us live well.

·         Appropriate work- If we do appropriate work in appropriate time that can be big thing and bring remarkable change in life.

·         Integrative Medicine- He used to stay in jungle but cure the people of the remote places who lacked health service. So, he used to give them not just herbal medicines but also the penicillin injections whichever would heal better. Now-a-days, there is a tendency to follow such idea (whichever much appropriate).

·         Lesson to both Doctors and Traditional healers - Khaptad Baba was a pragmatic person. He used medicines whichever appropriate, either modern or herbs. It can be a big lesson to the people. There are many traditional practitioners/healers who often deny use of modern medicines. Similarly, there are some doctors who deny role of traditional medicines in healing. However there can be some shortcomings in any form of medicine (either modern or traditional). So, all forms of medicines should be studied, experimented and used well.