Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, who had given memorable performances in the 1990s, has gone on a spiritual journey of profound introspection, leaving behind the glamour of her past for a life of penance and devotion. On Friday, January 25, 2025, Kulkarni took ‘sanyas’ at the Maha Kumbh currently underway, assuming a new identity as ‘Mai Mamta Nand Giri.’ This transformation occurred within the Kinnar Akhara, a spiritual order founded by the transgender community in 2018.
According to a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government, Kulkarni first performed the sacred ritual of ‘Pind Daan’ on the banks of the Ganges, a rite meant to honor the deceased ancestors. She then performed the ‘pattabhishek’ – the conseccration ceremony – a very important occasion on which she was formally inducted into the role of a ‘mahamandaleshwar.’ The term ‘mahamandaleshwar’ is conferred upon spiritual leaders who play an important role to guide their flock and contribute to social upliftment.
Mamta Kulkarni, who is now 52 years old, visited the Kinnar Akhara in Prayagraj, where she met key figures such as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Mahant Ravindra Puri. Kulkarni’s journey into spirituality is not a sudden decision but one that has been unfolding over decades. She revealed that she took her first spiritual initiation (‘deeksha’) 23 years ago from Guru Shri Chaitanya Gagan Giri at Kupoli Ashram.
Speaking to journalists after the ritual, Kulkarni thanked for having been able to be a part of Maha Kumbh, terming it as “blessed and a moment in life seldom seen.” Explaining the beginnings of her tapasya initiated in 2000, she reveals why she wants Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, who was revered as spiritual guide at this juncture. She also mentioned that her initiation as a ‘mahamandaleshwar’ was after rigorous examinations, both spiritual and personal, which she had to pass to attain this prestigious title.
Fans of Kulkarni are keenly interested and curious about her decision to leave Bollywood and seek a spiritual life. She said she was asked many times if she would return to films, adding that though some were disappointed, her choice was a result of devotion to the will of the divine. “Whatever the Gods wish, no one can go against it,” she quipped.
The Kinnar Akhara, to which Kulkarni has been affiliated for the last few months, is one of the sub-akharas of the Juna Akhara, one of the 13 major akharas in India. Akharas are traditional Hindu monastic organizations focused on religious discipline, spiritual practice, and social service. Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhara, Tina Maa, stated that Kulkarni had been under the guidance of the Akhara for the last two to three months and had been spiritually initiated into the religion to become an official member.
Kulkarni, looking back at her life, said she was not running away from personal struggles or crises. In fact, it was her conscious decision to turn away from the glitz and glamour of Bollywood towards the quest for peace and bliss. “I had 25 films lined up when I left Bollywood. But this path is what I chose to experience true spiritual bliss,” she says.
As Mamta Kulkarni enters this new phase of life as ‘Mai Mamta Nand Giri,’ her fans and followers will be watching with bated breath, as she moves from the world of cinema into a life dedicated to spiritual service and the pursuit of divine knowledge.