Many famous Western celebrities have been profoundly impacted by Neem Karoli Baba. His teachings have inspired Julia Roberts and other Western celebrities, and have predicted that smallpox would soon be eradicated; furthermore he preached that service to others is key to happiness.
Baba Neem Karoli Maharaj was born Lakshaman Narayan Sharma to an elite Brahmin family in Uttar Pradesh. After abandoning home life for spiritual pursuits – including practicing Bhakti yoga and encouraging service to others – he decided to devote himself to becoming a sadhu.
He visited Kainchi Dham in 2015
Mark Zuckerberg recently disclosed in his townhall Q&A with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that during the early days of Facebook, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs advised him to visit Kainchi Dham temple village in Uttarakhand in order to help get back on mission for his company. According to Vinod Joshi who manages Kainchi Dham temple, visitorship to Kainchi Dham has tripled since this announcement was made.
Kainchi Dham was home of Neem Karoli Baba (also known as Maharaj Ji), an influential spiritual leader who died in 1973 but remains popular today. A devotee of Hanuman, this spiritual leader encouraged service as an avenue towards spirituality while encouraging meditation and chanting as means for growth.
In the 1960s and 70s, he attracted many American tourists, such as spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Larry Brilliant as well as musicians Krishna Das and Jai Uttal. His 1975 book ‘Be Here Now” inspired a large following.
Hollywood actress Julia Roberts is another prominent follower of Maharaj Ji, having visited Kainchi Dham Ashram in early 2010s and being deeply affected by his teachings. Subsequently she converted to Hinduism and has spoken publicly about her experience there.
He is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba
Neem Karoli Baba is an influential Hindu guru known to modern celebrities such as Hollywood actress Julia Roberts and cricketer Virat Kohli, as well as inspiring many yoga teachers worldwide. Many consider him an incarnation of Lord Hanuman; his teachings emphasize selflessness and unconditional love.
He was widely known as Maharaj Ji. A great mystic and devotee of Lord Hanuman, Lakshaman Narayan Sharma advocated service to others as the ultimate form of devotion. Born Lakshaman Narayan Sharma around 1900 in Akbarpur village of Firozabad district in Uttar Pradesh India around 1900 he initially married according to parental wishes when aged 11 but eventually turned into a wandering sadhu before returning home after his father asked that he live a more normal lifestyle and had three sons and daughter as per father’s request and had three more children: two sons and daughter!
His most renowned disciples included musician Jai Uttal, author Yvette Rosser and yoga teacher Lama Surya Das. In the West, many Americans traveling to India in the 1960s and 70s followed his teachings about service to others and Bhakti yoga – two topics on which he excelled as an authority figure.
He is a spiritual teacher
Neem Karoli Baba was an esteemed spiritual teacher known for his devotion to Lord Hanuman. A poet and author himself, Neem Karoli Baba served as an influence for American travelers visiting India during the 1960s and 70s – such as Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), Bhagavan Das and Krishna Das, as well as musicians Jai Uttal.
Throughout his lifetime, he built hundreds of Hanuman temples throughout India. Additionally, he advocated nonviolence and strict vegetarianism and many believe he was actually Hanuman himself! Additionally, he staunchly supported Indian independence movements like Gandhian Raj.
Steve Jobs and Daniel Kottke traveled to India in search of spiritual enlightenment during the 1970s. While there, they visited Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram in Kainchi village where they could spend time listening to and reflecting upon his teachings – something that helped refocus their lives back home before returning to start Apple, now one of the world’s most valued companies.
Julia Roberts visited Kainchi Ashram in 2015 and claims that it profoundly altered her life. Additionally, she was greatly inspired by Neem Karoli Baba’s teachings, keeping them at the forefront of her mind ever since she visited Kainchi.
He is a musician
Neem Karoli Baba was widely revered as a Hindu saint; however, few knew he was also an avid follower of Lord Hanuman. Known by his followers as Maharajji, they would visit his ashram in Nainital to seek his blessings; cricketer Virat Kohli recently visited this ashram to receive them after scoring his 28th century against Australia at Border Gavaskar Trophy; many believe his success may have been helped along by Neem Karoli Baba.
Neem Karoli Baba was an important spiritual master to many Americans traveling to India during the 1960s and 70s. He advocated service to others as the highest form of devotion to God, while advocating bhakti yoga practice. Among his devoted disciples were spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das, musicians Jai Uttal and Krishna Das. On September 11, 1973 in Vrindavan he passed away; his ashes rest at Kainchi Dham Ashram in Nainital Uttarakhand.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, visited an ashram in 2015 and was moved by its teachings. Later he revealed that Steve Jobs advised him to visit it. On PM Modi’s US trip during which Mark Zuckerberg mentioned this to him and PM thanked him profusely – also encouraging Mark to continue working toward improving humanity.