Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni recently made headlines after she stepped down from her role as Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Although Kulkarni suggested that she would continue her spiritual path as a “Sadhvi" (a female spiritual seeker), her decision was widely criticised. Additionally, Mamta’s Mahamandaleshwar title also sparked a debate between Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and the Kinnar Akhada’s founder, Rishi Ajay Das.
However, the former actress has now come forward to address the controversy and reflected on her Mahamandaleshwar status.
In a recent conversation with ANI, Kulkarni said, “Dekhiye wo to hota hi rehta hai... koi na koi jab bada kaam ishwar kisi ko deta hai, ya kisi bade kaam ke liye usko staan deta hai.. (See, it keeps happening... when God gives a big task to someone, or gives the power to do some big work...)
She added, "wo to ishwar ke parmatma... ke haath me tha... ki mujhe Mahamandaleshwar banna tha, usi Kumbh me jo 140 saal ke baad itna punya awsar tha usme mujhe Mahamandaleshwar hon (It was in the hands of the God that I had to become the Mahamandaleshwar in the same Kumbh that took place after 140 years)."
"Yeh meri 25 saal ke tapasya ka mujhe fal parmeshwar ne mujhe pradan karna tha (It was the fruit of my 25 years of penance that God had given me)," she said.
For the unversed, Mamta Kulkarni left her lavish lifestyle to embark on a spiritual path, adopting the new name "Shri Yamai Mamta Nandgiri." She later became a Mahamandaleshwar, a revered spiritual leader, on January 24 at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
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However, several saints, including Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, opposed the decision to appoint her as Mahamandleshwar.
Following the backlash, Rishi Ajay Das, founder of Kinnar Akhada, expelled both Mamta Kulkarni and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi from the Akhada.
On the film front, Mamta Kulkarni rose to stardom with her blockbuster films like Karan Arjun and Baazi. The former actress decided to quit the entertainment industry in the early 2000s and relocate abroad.
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