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Ram Bahadur Bomjon

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Ram Bahadur Bomjon (Sanskrit: राम बहादुर बम्जन; born 1989 or 1990,[1] sometimes spelled Bomjan, Banjan, or Bamjan), previously known as Palden Dorje (his monastic name) is an ascetic from Ratanapuri, Bara district, Nepal who gained widespread attention and media popularity because of perceived semblances to Gautama Buddha, leading to claims that he is a reincarnation of Gautama Buddha.

Ram Bahadur Bomjon
राम बहादुर बमजन
Born1989 or 1990 (age 34–35)
Nepal
NationalityNepalese
Other namesPalden Dorje, Buddha Boy
Parents
  • Bir Bahadur Tamang
  • Maya Devi Tamang

Bomjon's followers have claimed that he meditates for months without eating or sleeping.[2] Buddhist scholars have disputed these claims.[3]

In June 2024, Bomjon was convicted on charges of child sexual abuse.[4][5]

Biography

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In May 2005, the 15-year-old Bomjon left his home near the Indian border after a dream in which a god appeared to him and told him to do so, and sat amongst the roots of a pipal tree to meditate.[6] Claims suggest that for 10 months he rarely spoke, drank, ate, or even moved. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people visited the site to see the boy motionless for hours, days or as rumoured even months, or came in devotion to the possibility of an important spiritual event occurring.[7]

As a result of some of these claims, Bomjon's followers believe he is an incarnation of the historical Buddha, Gautama.[7] Bomjon has rejected such comparisons, saying "Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I don't have the Buddha's energy currently. I am at the level of a rinpoche."[8] Mahiswor Raj Bajracharya, the president of the Nepal Buddhist Council, has stated likewise: "We do not believe he is Buddha. He does not have Buddha's qualities".[9] Buddhist scholars have been sceptical of Bomjon's claims to be able to meditate for months on end without food or drink.[3]

On 11 March 2006, he went missing.[10] On 19 March, Bed Bahadur Lama of the Om Namo Buddha Tapaswi Sewa Samiti (ONBTSS) told reporters that they had seen him in Bara District and that they had spoken to him for half-an-hour, during which Bomjon reportedly assured that he would return in six years.[11]

He was seen again in August 2007, preaching to crowds in Nepal's Hallori jungle, around 100 miles south of Kathmandu.[2]

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In 2010, Bomjon was investigated for attacking a group of 17 villagers. Bomjon claimed that they were intentionally disturbing his meditation. However, the villagers said they were just looking for vegetables.[12][13][14][15] Bomjon claimed to have taken "minor action" against them with just his hands[12][13][14][15] after they had "tried to manhandle" him,[13][15] and stopped as soon as they apologized. However, the victims claim that for three hours he struck them on their head and back with an axe handle,[12][15] resulting in serious injury of one of the victims.[14][15] Bomjon refused to attend any potential trial, stating, "Do you think a meditating sage will go to the court to hear a case? I took action against them as per the divine law".[12][15]

In 2012, Nepal Police announced that they had rescued a Slovak woman from Bomjon's followers, but other reports claimed that she had been voluntarily released after media coverage of the kidnapping. Newsweek reported she had been taken from a hotel by two of Bomjon's men riding on a motorcycle and kept tied to a tree for three months and accused of practicing witchcraft in order to disturb the Boy's meditation.[16] However, another report claimed she had been kidnapped from a monastery. When she was released, she had a broken arm.[17][18] A week after her release, Bomjon's siblings accused him of holding his brothers captive overnight, and beating his brothers and his sister.[19] Followers of Bomjon also assaulted five journalists and destroyed their cameras after they had recorded one of Bomjon's sermons.[17]

An investigation was opened in January 2019 after complaints from family members that four devotees had gone missing from several of Bomjon's ashrams.[20] In the same month, police raided one of Bomjon's ashrams in Nepal, but he was not found.[21] On February 6, 2020, the Sarlahi District Court issued an arrest warrant against Bomjon. The following day, police raided another one of his ashrams in Kamalamai, Sindhuli, but Bomjon again was not found. However, police did arrest one of his disciples, Gyan Bahadur Bomjan.[22] A trial in the case is pending.[3]

Sexual abuse charges

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In September 2018, Bomjon was accused of raping an 18-year-old nun repeatedly for nearly two years.[23][21] During a press conference organized by women's rights groups, the nun also accused his wife of trying to keep the abuse hidden so as not to "attract attacks" on their religion. Supporters of Bomjon claim that the nun was in fact involved in theft, and had been ejected from the monastery.[23] Nepalese authorities issued an arrest warrant for Bomjon in January 2020.[1]

On 9 January 2024, based on that 2020 warrant, a team from the Central Investigation Bureau of the Nepal police arrested Bomjon at his hideout in Budhanilkantha.[24] Bomjon was arrested after jumping two floors from a window during his escape attempt.[5] They also confiscated Nepalese currencies and foreign currencies of over 17 different nations equivalent to NPR 33 million.[24]

In June 2024, Bomjon was convicted of child sexual abuse.[4][5] He was sentenced to ten years in prison,[25] but had until 10 September to appeal his conviction.[3][25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Pokharel, Sugam; John, Tara (10 January 2024). "Spiritual leader known as 'Buddha Boy' arrested in Nepal on sexual abuse charges". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b Buncombe, Andrew (11 November 2008). "'Buddha Boy' reappears after year in jungle". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d "Nepal convicts 'Buddha Boy' of child sexual abuse". Deutsche Welle. Agence France-Presse, Associated Press. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Nepal convicts 'Buddha boy' of child sex abuse". South China Morning Post. Reuters, Agence France-Presse. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Gurbacharya, Binaj (25 June 2024). "'Buddha Boy' Convicted of Sexual Assault". Time. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ George Saunders (7 May 2006). "The Incredible Buddha Boy". GQ. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Nepalese Buddha Boy 'reappears'". BBC. 20 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 April 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  8. ^ Bell, Thomas (21 November 2005). "Pilgrims flock to see 'Buddha boy' said to have fasted six months". The Telegraph. Bara District, Nepal. Archived from the original on 21 March 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Nepal 'Buddha Boy' returns to jungle". Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. 22 November 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  10. ^ Yogi, Bhagirath (11 March 2006). "Nepal's 'Buddha' boy goes missing". BBC.
  11. ^ "Nepalese Buddha Boy 'reappears'". BBC News. 20 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 April 2006.
  12. ^ a b c d Bandari, Rai, Diwakar, Arun (26 July 2010). "Police quizzes Buddha Boy over thrashing locals". The Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 1 August 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b c Lang, Olivia (27 July 2010). "Nepal's 'Buddha boy' investigated for attacking group". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  14. ^ a b c Lamicchane, Upendra (24 July 2010). "'Buddha Boy' thrashes locals". República (Nepalese newspaper). Archived from the original on 29 July 2010.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Lamicchane, Upendra (26 July 2010). "'Buddha boy' unrepentant". República (Nepalese newspaper). Archived from the original on 28 July 2010.
  16. ^ Brennan, David (7 January 2019). ""Buddha Boy" spiritual leader investigated over missing followers and sexual abuse allegations". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Nepal's Boy Buddha frees Slovak hostage". Hindustan Times. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Nepal police rescue Slovak woman from followers of Buddha boy". Public Radio International. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  19. ^ Bhandari, Diwakar (3 April 2012). "Buddha Boy turns violent' thrashes siblings Holds three of his brothers hostage overnight". Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  20. ^ Emburry-Dennis, Tom. "Ashram of 'Buddha boy' worshipped as reincarnation of Buddha raided by police after devotees 'disappear'". Independent. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019.
  21. ^ a b Pokharel, Sugam; Berlinger, Joshua (11 January 2019). "Police raid 'Buddha boy' ashram in Nepal". CNN. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Sarlahi court issues warrant against 'Buddha Boy', but police fail to track him down". The Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  23. ^ a b "'Ascetic' Ram Bahadur Bamjan accused of raping nun". Online Khabar. 16 September 2018. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  24. ^ a b "Police seize over Rs33 million from Ram Bahadur Bomjan's residence". The Kathmandu Post. 10 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  25. ^ a b Gurubacharya, Binaj (1 July 2024). "Spiritual leader 'Buddha Boy' sentenced to 10 years for sexually assaulting a child". Independent. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024.
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