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.