Have you ever heard about Neem Karoli Baba or you haven’t yet? Neem Karoli Baba is also called ” Magical Baba”. People still come to visit him from worldwide and have devotees who pay respect to him. The famous personality of Apple, Steve Jobs visited the Ashram to meet Neem Karoli Baba with his friend Dan Kottke. He, however, could not meet Baba who had died before his arrival. Even Mark Zuckerberg visited the ashram at a time when he and Facebook were going through a tough time. The Facebook founder had arrived here with just a book in his hand and he was supposed to stay here for one day but he spent two days. He has so many devotee all over world including U.S.A.
Early Life of Neem Karoli Baba:
Neem Karoli Baba was born around 1900, in a village called Akbarpur, Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was a Brahmin child of the family of Durga Prasad Sharma.
His real name was Lakshman Das Sharma. At the age of 11, he gained a lot of Knowledge and became a Sadhu, and roamed the whole world. He left for Gujrat and did his meditation over there for 7- 8 years. At 11 years of age, he got married, and due to his father’s request, he returned home after his meditation period.
After having a settled married life, he gave birth to two sons and a daughter.
Why Neem Karoli baba?
I’m sure you must be wondering why is he named Neem Karoli Baba then?. There is a story for this too.
One day Lakshman Das boarded a train without a ticket, then the Ticket collector came to check for his tickets, seeing he didn’t have one, the conductor decided to halt the train and force Neem Karoli baba off the train at the village of Neem Karoli, Uttar Pradesh. After boarding off the Sadhu, the conductor realized that the train didn’t move again! after several attempts of trying to run the train someone in the coach suggested allowing the Sadhu, or Lakshman Das back on the train.
Before entering the train he made two conditions. Those were:
- To treat the Sadhu’s well no matter what happens
- To build a station and a stop at Neem Karoli
After he entered the train the train started working and the conductor considered this condition he kept on stake and this is why he is called as ” Neem Karoli Baba”.
Some facts about Neem Karoli Baba:
- At the age of 17, he had a knowledge of almost everything.
- In 1962, Baba Neem Karoli built a Chabootara around a place where two spiritual gurus Sadhu Premi Baba and Sombari Maharaj had performed Yagyas in Kainchi village.
- He also built Lord Hanuman’s temple in many places. The first temple of Lord Hanuman was inaugurated on June 15, 1964. The second temple was built in Vrindavan.
- Baba Karoli Baba has temples in several places including Lucknow and an Ashram in Texas, US. According to his website, Maharajji established at least 108 temples.
- In the late ’60s an American known as Baba Ram Dass authored books telling of Neem Karoli Baba and hundreds of westerners went for his darshan.
- Neem Karoli Baba opted for Vrindavan’s land for his Samadhi. He died on September 10, 1973. A temple for him was subsequently built at the Ashram. His statue was consecrated on June 15, 1976.
- Anyone who wants to visit the Ashram in Kainchi village needs to request prior permission. After a reference from one of the older devotees, one can stay for three days.The ashram is closed for a large portion of the year as it becomes very cold there.
His Philosophy’s
Maharaji was a deep-rooted adroit of bhakti-yoga and urged the administration to other people (Seva) as the most noteworthy type of genuine dedication to God. In the book Supernatural occurrence of Affection, ordered by Smash Dass, an enthusiast named Anjani shares the accompanying record:
but mostly as “Maharajji” – a nickname so commonplace in India that one can often hear a tea vendor addressed thus. Just as he said, he was “nobody”. Also he gave no discourses and the briefest, simplest stories were his teachings. Usually, he sat or lay on a wooden bench wrapped in a plaid blanket while a few devotees sat around him. Visitors came and went; they were given food, a few words, a nod, a pat on the head or back, and they were sent away. There was gossip and laughter for he loved to joke.