Bhojpur Dingla identified by Balaguru Shadananda and Yogamaya
In Nepal, Bhojpur district is considered as the birthplace of education. The small Dingla Bazaar
established by Balaguru Shadananda is a famous natural and historical market. There are schools
and religious places built by Balaguru Shadananda within the premises of Sitaram Shadeshwar
temple in the market. Balaguru Shadananda had built this school in 1932 BS, the first non-Rana
school in Nepal, saying that education should be made accessible to the general public.
Currently, the ruins of all three schools are here. During the Rana period, there was no provision
for the children of the people to get education. To be able to open a school for the children of the
people at that time is to have great courage.
Founded by Balaguru Shadananda, the school was attended by students from different districts of
Nepal and even from India. At the same time, it seems that classrooms have been built to study
different subjects including Vedas, Nepali and Mathematics. Balaguru himself had taught here.
At present, a statue is being erected and a garden is being constructed in the memory of Balaguru
Shadananda near the temple. Many pilgrims from Nepal and India come to this area. There are
three kundas out of which only Parvati kunda is alive. The other two ponds are only in ruins.
Kailashdanda is a little above Dingla Bazaar. Where Balaguru Shadananda is known as the place
where he did penance.
Majhuwabeshi can be reached again through Dingla Bazaar. Sankhuwasabha across Bhojpur and
the beautiful confluence of the Arun and Indravati rivers. Kotihom Dham is located on this side.
This is the same Mazhuvabesi from where the voice of women’s rights was raised during the
Rana period, the practice of sati should be abolished, untouchability and slavery should be
abolished According to the locals, the Rana ruler listened to Yogamaya’s voice and kept her in
jail. This is the place where Yogamaya was born, who along with 68 of her followers jumped
into the Arun river and took water samadhi. His martyrdom had shaken even the harsh Rana rule.
This is the only case in the world where such a large number of samadhis have taken place.
Kotihom Dham has been built in the memory of Yogamaya in his memory. The remains of a
large stone he threw can also be seen.
The place where Yogamaya meditates is Gondeni which is near Kotihom. There is a statue of
Yogamaya and a Shiva temple. The fact that Yogamaya has achieved perfection after nine
months of hard penance can be heard from the locals here. Yogamaya, who got married at the
age of 7 and became a widow in 9 years, had to face many rejections and hunders of the society.
In retaliation for this rejection, Yogamaya even went to Kathmandu and presented her 40-point
demand to the then Prime Minister Shri 3 Juddhashamsher.
In 1984, Yogamaya and her followers were buried in the Arun River. Currently, this place is
crowded with domestic tourists.
