Bajhang, May 10 -- In the Sudurpaschim, there is a place, they say, where horses run wild across fields of impossible green. This is a place of unearthly, unparalleled beauty-the abode of the gods, if any such space existed on earth.

At the confluence of four districts-Bajhang, Bajura, Doti and Achham-lies Khaptad, a mystical place of ethereal beauty, home to countless Hindu shrines and believed to be where the Khaptad Baba achieved enlightenment after meditating for 50 years.

Although all four neighbouring district can lead to Khaptad, the two easiest ways to reach there are from Doti and Bajhang districts. From Doti, a bus or jeep can take you to Jhigrana, at the foothills of Khaptad. From there, you can get to Khaptad on foot or on a...