Nashik: A fire broke out on Thursday night in the premises of the world-renowned Vipassana meditation centre (Dhamma Giri) in Igatpuri. The fire started due to dry leaves and debris around the centre at around 10 pm. The Fire Department of the Igatpuri Municipal Council acted swiftly and controlled the fire before it could reach the main building of the centre. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Upon receiving information about the incident, the Igatpuri Municipal Council fire brigade immediately rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Firefighters faced difficulty in extinguishing the blaze as there were large piles of dry leaves and other inflammable material.
The fire was brought under control around midnight with the help of water jets. Fortunately, there were no reports of any casualties, as no courses were running or a large number of practitioners were present at the centre at the time, though the fire spread rapidly due to dry vegetation and debris in the area.
Dhamma Giri is one of the largest Vipassana centres in the world, where Vipassana meditation is taught according to the tradition of SN Goenka. The centre premises include several facilities such as Dhamma Giri and Dhamma Tapovan, where thousands of practitioners participate in 10-day silent meditation courses every year. As various courses are likely to be underway in February, practitioners and staff were present at the centre.
Police and fire brigade officials said the fire mainly started from dry leaves and debris in the outer area and, due to the wind direction, spread towards the centre. The cause of the fire is being investigated, and a short circuit, a cigarette, or other reasons are being considered as possible causes.
