Karan Arjun star Mamta Kulkarni becomes a Hindu monk
Indian actor Mamta Kulkarni, known for her roles in Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi and Baazi, left the entertainment industry behind to become a Hindu monk, and renamed herself Mai Mamta Nand Giri, Indian media reported on Saturday.
In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh government said in the ongoing pilgrimage Maha Kumbh, Mamta first undertook the sanyas ritual in the Kinnar Akhara — a Hindu religious order established in 2018 by the trans community of India, Indian Express reported.
According to the publication, Mamta then received her new name, performed the pind daan, a ceremony honouring deceased ancestors, and then the Kinnar Akhara consecrated her as mahamandaleshwar, a title used by some Hindu monks of the Dashanami order of swamis, amid Vedic chanting.
Speaking to the media, Mamta said she had to give an examination to receive the title of mahamandaleshwar.
“I was asked what I did in 23 years. When I cleared all the examinations, I got the upaadhi of mahamandaleshwar,” she said.
According to the Indian Express, she felt very nice that such planetary positions had formed after 144 years, adding that no Maha Kumbh could be as pious as this one.
“Several people are angry, my fans are also angry, they feel that I will return to Bollywood. But it is all right. Whatever the Gods wish. No one can supersede the will of Mahakaal and Mahakaali,” Mamta said.
Prior to her spiritual journey, Mamta worked alongside some of the biggest Bollywood actors including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar.
Mamta quit acting in 2002. In a recent interview with IANS, she said that she left India for spiritual reasons, was inclined towards spirituality in 1996 and then met Guru Gagan Giri Maharaj.
“After his arrival, my interest in spirituality increased following which my penance started. However, I believe that Bollywood gave me a name and also fame. After this, I quit Bollywood too,” Mamta said.
“From 2000 to 2012, I kept doing penance. I was in Dubai for many years, where I lived in a two-bedroom flat and remained celibate for 12 years,” she added.
In 2016, Mamta was named by the Thane police as one of the accused involved in supplying ephedrine for the illegal manufacturing of methamphetamine to a drug racket. She and her partner, Vicky Goswami, were suspected to be in Kenya where the logistics of the drug supply were allegedly discussed, the Indian Express reported.
Last year, the Bombay High Court quashed the case against her and said the “proceedings are manifestly frivolous and vexatious”, according to India Today. The court concluded that her presence at the meeting did not indicate her involvement in the case.
Comments