Neem Karoli Baba
Hindu religious leader (c. 1900–1973)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neem Karoli Baba (born Lakshmi Narayan Sharma; c. 1900 - 11 September 1973) (Hindi: नीम करौली बाबा, romanized: neem karoli bābā) also known as Neeb Karori Baba (Hindi: नीब करौरी बाबा, romanized: nīb karaurī bābā) and by his followers as Maharaj-ji, was a Hindu guru and devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman.[1][3][4]
c. 1900[1]
Dharm Narayan Sharma
Girija Devi
Neem Karoli Baba | |
|---|---|
Neem Karoli Baba at Kainchi Dham | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Lakshman Narayan Sharma c. 1900[1] Akbarpur village, North-Western Provinces, British India (present-day Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Died | 11 September 1973 Vrindavan, India |
| Spouse | Ram Beti Sharma |
| Children | Anek Singh[2] Dharm Narayan Sharma Girija Devi |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Philosophy | Bhakti yoga |
| Religious career | |
Disciples | |
Biography
Lakshman Narayan Sharma[5] was born around 1900 in the village Akbarpur in the Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, India, in a wealthy Brahmin family.[1] After being married by his parents at the age of 11, he left home to become a wandering sadhu (religious hermit). Neem Karoli Baba, known at the time as Baba Lakshman Das (also spelled "Laxman Das"), left his home in c. 1911 and wandered through Northern India.[6] He later returned home, at his father's request, to live a settled married life. He fathered two sons Anek Singh and Dhrma Narayan Sharma and a daughter Girija.[2] During his life two main ashrams were built, at Kainchi and at Vrindavan.[1] The Kainchi Dham, where he stayed in the last decade of his life, was built in 1964 with a Hanuman ji temple.[7][8][9] In time, over 100 temples were constructed in his name.[1]
Neem Karoli Baba died at about 1:15 a.m. on 11 September 1973 in a hospital at Vrindavan, India,[10][11] after slipping into a diabetic coma. He had been returning by night train to Kainchi[12] near Nainital, from Agra where he had visited a heart specialist due to experiencing pains in his chest. He and his traveling companions had disembarked at Mathura railway station where he began convulsing and was taken to a hospital where he died.[13][14] His last words, repeated several times, were "Jaya Jagadish Hare" ("Hail to the Lord of the Universe").[15] His samadhi (shrine) was built in the complex of the Vrindavan ashram.
Legacy
After returning to the United States, Ram Dass and Larry Brilliant founded the Seva Foundation, an international health organization based in Berkeley, California.[16] In the late 2000s the 'Love Serve Remember Foundation' was established to promote the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba.[17] In 2024 his follower Rahul Verma founded the NKB Divine Meditation Foundation, offering free guided meditation sessions based on the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba.[18]
Each year on June 15, to commemorate the foundation day of Kainchi Dham in 1964, a large mela (fair) known as Kainchi Dham Mela, is organised, in which thousands of devotees and pilgrims take part.[19][20]
Neem Karoli Baba sculpture in Ram Dass library
Devotees of Neem Karoli Baba meditating at NKB Divine Meditation Centre, New Delhi
Neem Karoli Baba Samadhi Mandir, Vrindavan
Neem Karoli Baba sculpture in Sankat Mochan Temple, Shimla
In popular culture
Films and documentaries
Windfall of Grace is a documentary film directed by Japna Tulsi about Neem Karoli Baba and his devotees. The film explores Baba's life and legacy through accounts by devotees, kirtan and visits to places associated with him.[21]
Moved by Grace is a documentary about devotees of Neem Karoli Baba and their experiences following their association with him. The film was released on 1 December 2022, the anniversary of Baba's birth.[22]
One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das is a 2012 documentary film about Krishna Das. It follows his journey to India in search of Neem Karoli Baba and his subsequent spiritual relationship with Baba.[23]
American Yogi is a documentary film directed by Steven Newmark and based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba. The film follows Newmark's journey and his efforts to present Indian spirituality to Western audiences.[24]
Brilliant Disguise: The Samadhi of K.C. Tewari is a 2022 documentary directed by David Silver about K.C. Tewari, a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba. The film follows Tewari's life and his association with Baba and Western spiritual seekers who travelled to India.[25]
Shree Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj is a 2026 Hindi-language biographical drama directed by Sharad Singh Thakur, with Subodh Bhave portraying Neem Karoli Baba. The film was released on 29 May 2026.[26][27]
Hanuman Ansh is a 2026 Hindi-language devotional drama written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi. The film is based on real-life incidents associated with Neem Karoli Baba and stars Shobhinaw Satyaa as Baba. It was released in theatres on 7 August 2026.[28]
