First foray into Budokai territory

My immersion into Budokai began when Prakash introduced me to Maha Guru’s younger brother, Bada Guru. He is the second-highest ranking Budokai master in the world – 6^th dan black belt compared to his older brother’s 10^th dan – and he will be training me.

Maha Guru Sagar Shrestha, Budokai-Do founder (left), and
his little brother Bada Guru.

He lives in a big residence that includes his office, the dojo, his apartment and his handyman’s quarters. His huge German Shepherd uses the magnificent garden full of flowers as a playground. All this makes up the International Budokai-Do Federation headquarters which serves as a base for the eighty Nepalese clubs.

 

Dojo.

 

When I first met Bada Guru in his office together with some of his friends and Prakash, I began to understand the true sense of Nepalese hospitality. The spicy food and roxy (Nepalese eau-de-vie) burnt its way through my stomach as I visited the dojo like a museum, weaving my way between collection pieces, trophies, an altar dedicated to the Grand Master and weapons that include a Khukuri, famously used by British Gurkhas.

 

Gurkhas practicing khukuri.

 

Thousands of martial arts enthusiasts would happily spend a fortune to set foot in this sacred place. That’s when it dawned on me: I am going to be following the teachings of Bada Guru in the very dojo where Budokai-Do was born for the next year.  

All thanks to a chance encounter during a morning walk that probably wasn’t a dream.

Training will begin in two days.

 

 

Budokai, Dawn and Two Smokin' Puris

6 o'clock in the morning.

With the birds singing out of tune and the dogs barking, there’s no way I’m going to get back to sleep. An early morning walk being better than fruitless attempts to get some shuteye, I set out across town for the first time in search of some breakfast.

I turn left once, right twice and I’m lost. There's no way I'll find my way back on an empty stomach.

 

 

Craftsmen, traders, masons, students and devotees all point me towards a nameless tea room. The suspicious looks I attract - due to the fact there aren’t many tourists here - rapidly turn into a warm welcome.

The owner realizes that I am at a loss in front of the shop window and recommends a few pieces of some delicious bread with some traditional tea. Baguettes had better watch out.

As I leave, I remember that I have still not come accross any Budokai-Do clubs (a Nepalese martial art no-one here seems to have heard of).  I am curious and ask about it whilst searching for the few rupees that will suffice to settle the bill.

"Maha Guru is a childhood friend. Come back after midday and I’ll take you to his school".

Master Sagar Shrestha story is incredible. It was while fighting in the street that he developped  a martial art based on ducking and the opponent’s imbalance. Over the years, he honed his movements to create a style that is unique in its genre. He is now recognized as the official Budokai-Do founder.

I take a picture of the facade to be sure not to miss the appointment and in the process, capture a customer's daughter smiling. I also get the phone number of the owner, Prakash.

 

So here I am on the way back knowing full well that I have no idea where I’m going. I don’t really recognize the few landmarks I should and soon enough, I am climbing stairs I never went down. At the corner of the first street, I ask a man in a residence for directions.

It was our guard and it was our house. That’s a lot of coincidences for a walk that only lasted a few half-hours.

Or maybe it was just a dream.