After hitting the news stands with his declaration of competing the 2014 general elections with a new party, Indian yoga guru Swami Ramdev announced his plans to launch a yoga ashram in Nepal shortly.

In the year 2007, Ramdev's first yoga camp in Kathmandu ran into trouble after alleged disagreement by the Maoists. Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and President Ram Baran Yadav are Ramdev devotees.

When Ram Baran Yadav recently visited India, he also travelled to the Haridwar yoga ashram.

Baba Ramdev with millions of followers throughout the world is going to Kathmandu March 26 to start a five-day yoga camp in the capital.

During his visit, Ramdev will also kick off a yoga ashram in Kathmandu, modeled on his Divya Yoga Mandir.

In Feb 2010, Nepal's communist administration settled to offer land to the Indian guru at a subsidized rate for the yoga centre, which will also house a diagnostic centre propagating ayurvedic medicines made from Himalayan herbaceous plants, and an old-age home.

Ramdev has also sought land in other regions such as Dang, Lamjung, Syangja, Chitwan, Dhanusha, Bara and Parsa. Four years back, his Patanjali Ayurveda Kendra listed with the Nepalese administration to sell ayurvedic medicinal products in the country.

Presently, it has 16 ayurvedic treatment centres in Nepal.

Ramdev enjoys wide popularity in Nepal. Yoga buffs wake up in the morning to watch the TV channels broadcasting his yoga demonstrations and practise on their own.

Now shops selling fruit juices in Nepal also sell gourd juice, after yoga guru popularized it as a healthy drink. (With Input from Agencies)