From red carpets to Kumbh mela: Mamta Kulkarni’s path to spirituality | WATCH
Mamta Kulkarni, once a celebrated Bollywood actress, has renounced her glamorous life to embrace spirituality. Now known as Mai Mamta Nand Giri, she officially took sanyas during the Maha Kumbh and underwent a consecration ceremony.
Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, who once made headlines for her glamorous on-screen presence, has renounced worldly life to seek spirituality. The 52-year-old has taken a new identity as Mai Mamta Nand Giri, marking a significant departure from her life in the limelight.
The journey into Bollywood: A mother's influence
Mamta revealed in a 2016 interview that her entry into the cinema world was, instead greatly influenced by her mother. She said: "It was under my mother's influence and pressure that I joined films and became an actor. I was an unwilling actress and I do not regret leaving the film world." Mamta made it very clear that she never, in her heart, belonged to the film industry.
VIDEO | Actor Mamta Kulkarni consecrated as a Hindu nun under the Kinnar Akhara. Earlier today, she took 'sanyas' under the Kinnar Akhara by performing her own 'Pind Daan' and will be consecrated as 'mahamandaleshwar'.
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When asked whether she still kept track of Hindi films, Mamta said that the last film she had watched was Munna Bhai. This was well before her official renunciation but reflected a distance from the glitter of Bollywood all the same.
Embracing spirituality
She claims that she began her spiritual journey long ago. Mamta disclosed that she initiated her penance in 2000 and was inclined to religious activities from then on. She attended the Kumbh Mela in 2013 and immersed herself in holy waters at Haridwar in 2012. Mamta says she would want to go back to India, "But it can be decided by almighty alone.
Mai Mamta Nand Giri Transitions On Friday, Mamta took sanyas (renunciation) officially at the Kinnar Akhara during the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh, where she would adopt the name of Mai Mamta Nand Giri. She received the consecration ceremony called pattabhishek, wherein she performed Pind Daan and sought blessings from Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi.
Speaking about her spiritual choice, Mamta said, "I chose Laxmi Narayan Tripathi as my 'pattaguru' because today is Friday. the day of Maha Kaali. Maa Shakti instructed me to choose Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, who is a direct form of Ardhnaareshwar."
Bollywood career highlights
Mamta's first film under the banner of Bollywood was in 1991. She acted in some of the most notable films, including Krantiveer (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), and Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995). Mamta quit the cinema industry after playing her last major role in Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum in 2002.
