Former Bollywood glamorous actress turns monk
Entertainment
‘This is a great honour for me. My step is not sudden’
(Web Desk) - Former Hindi film actress Mamta Kulkarni embraced a spiritual role as the Maha Mandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada, a monastic order of transgender sadhus, at the ongoing mega religious fair of Mahakumbh-2025.
She will now be known by her new name: Shri Yamai Mamata Nand Giri.
Known for her bold and glamorous roles in the 1990s, Mamta’s transition from the glitzy world of Bollywood to a spiritual leader took place with the ‘sanyas diksha’ (monkhood initiation) at Sangam, the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
During the ceremony, Mamta Kulkarni performed her own, as well as her past and future generations’ mandatory ‘Pind Daan’ (a ritual to offer homage to departed souls), marking her complete severance from worldly ties while embracing the life of a monk dedicated to the propagation and protection of Sanatan Dharma. She then took a holy dip in the Sangam waters.
“What more can I ask in life? This is a great honor for me. My step is not sudden. I took diksha from Swami Chaitanya Gagangiri in 2000 and accepted him as my guru.
Since then, my tapasya (austerity) has been ongoing, and today, after so many years, I have finally embraced the life of a sanyasi,” said the actress while speaking to media persons.
