The Mahakumbh 2025 began in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Monday, January 13, and is expected to see 400 million devotees from across India and world to participate over the course of six weeks. Among them is 61-year-old American businesswoman and philanthropist Laurene Powell, wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who arrived in India on Saturday and will stay till Wednesday before heading back to participate in the inauguration of Donald Trump as the President of the United States.
Laurene landed on Saturday night and visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi before heading to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh mela. She was accompanied by Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Niranjani Akhara to the temple.
Upon her visit to the temple, Kailashanand Giri Maharaj said that the Akhara has given Laurene Powell a Hindu name “Kamala”.
A report by ANI quoted Kailashanand Giri Maharaj as saying, “She (Laurene Powell) is coming to visit her guru here. We have named her ‘Kamala’ and she is like a daughter to us. This is the second time she is coming to India.”
“She is coming here to meditate,” he further said.
“She was satvik, even before meeting me in Feb last year at my Haridwar ashram. Being a simple and humble woman, she spends her day meeting people in the camp, performing sadhana, Kriya Yog and Pranayam,” Kailashanand said.
In Kashi Vishwanath temple, Laurene offered prayers from outside the sanctum sanctorum and alongwith others, prayed for the successful completion of Mahakumbh.
“She followed the traditions of the temple…As per our Indian tradition, in Kashi Vishwanath, no other Hindu can touch the Shivling. That’s why she was made to see the Shivling from outside,” Kailashanand Giri said.
“Today, we have come to Kashi to pray to Mahadev that the Kumbh is completed without any obstacles… I came here to invite Mahadev. Our disciple Maharshi Vyasanand is with us from America. Tomorrow he is becoming a Mahamandaleshwar in my Akhara,” he further said.
Laurene is accompanied by her 40-member team and on Sunday noon they entered the Mahakumbh mela 2025 area.
Dressed in a peach-yellow salwar suit, Laurene Powell had ‘Rakshasutra’ (kalava) on her right arm and a ‘rudraksh mala’ hanging from her neck.
Laurene Powell will also be taking a holy dip on Tuesday, January 14.
“On the first Amrit Snan on January 14, ‘Kamla’ will be behind my chariot along with Swami Vyasanand Giri, who was anointed as Mahamandaleshwar on Sunday evening, and that would be the first Sangam bath of Kamla at Prayagraj,” Kailashanand Giri said.
Held once every 12 years, the MahaKumbh, world’s largest religious congregation, will continue till February 26.
With inputs from agencies.
Link to article –
Mahakumbh 2025: Wife of Steve Jobs at Prayagraj with a Hindu name, here’s why
