Who is Baba Neem Karoli Baba
Who is Baba Neem Karoli who inspired Virat-Anushka, Steve Jobs, Julia Roberts, Mark Zuckerberg?
Cricketer Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma, along with their daughter, recently visited the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Vrindavan. A video of their visit has been circulating online. The family made the trip on January 4, where they spent around an hour at the ashram. During their visit, they paid their respects at Baba Neem Karoli’s ‘samadhi’ and also meditated in one of the ‘kutias’ (huts) on the premises.
Radhekrishna Pathak, the trustee of the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram, shared that while they had expected the couple to arrive in the afternoon, Kohli and Sharma surprised everyone by arriving early in the morning. Pathak also mentioned that Anushka Sharma’s family has been a long-time follower of Baba Neem Karoli.
The ashram has attracted many prominent figures over the years, including Steve Jobs, Julia Roberts, and Mark Zuckerberg, who are also devotees of the revered saint.
Who Was Baba Neem Karoli?
Neem Karoli Baba was a revered Hindu spiritual master and a devout follower of Lord Hanuman. His followers affectionately called him Maharaj-ji.
Born Lakshman Narayan Sharma around 1900 in Akbarpur (now part of Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh), Baba Neem Karoli hailed from a wealthy Brahmin family. He was married at the age of 11, as arranged by his parents. However, he soon left home to live as a wandering sadhu (ascetic). After some time, at his father’s request, he returned to lead a more settled life, where he married again and fathered two sons and a daughter.
Neem Karoli Baba is especially well-known outside of India for his role as a spiritual guide to many Americans who traveled to India during the 1960s and 70s, seeking his wisdom and blessings. His teachings emphasized the importance of selfless service to others as the highest form of devotion to God. Throughout his life, he was a dedicated practitioner of bhakti yoga (the path of devotion), inspiring countless people worldwide with his compassion, humility, and spiritual insight.
