Who is Satua Baba? Meet religious figure whose luxury cars worth crores have drawn attention at Magh Mela

At this year’s Magh Mela, Satua Baba has reportedly been allotted the largest land parcel for an ashram. (Image: X)

A religious figure has become the centre of attention at the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj after images and videos showed him arriving at the religious gathering in high-end luxury vehicles, including a Porsche Turbo 911 estimated to be worth around Rs 4.4 crore.

Santosh Das, popularly known as Satua Baba and the head of the Satua Baba Peeth in Varanasi, was recently seen driving the sports car at the mela. He had earlier drawn public notice for travelling in a Land Rover Defender valued at nearly Rs 3 crore. Visuals of both vehicles parked outside his camp have circulated widely on social media, prompting a mix of curiosity, criticism and debate over the lifestyle of religious leaders.

Satua Baba, whose birth name is Santosh Tiwari and who is also referred to as Jagadguru Mahamandaleswar Santosh Das, hails from Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh. According to publicly available accounts, he left home at the age of 11 to pursue a religious life. He currently leads the Vishnu Swami Sampradaya in Varanasi and was appointed its 57th Acharya in 2012. He received the title of Jagadguru during the Mahakumbh held in 2025, according to NDTV.

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At this year’s Magh Mela, Satua Baba has reportedly been allotted the largest land parcel for an ashram. The presence of luxury vehicles outside the camp has drawn steady crowds of visitors. Inside the ashram, however, he is typically seen dressed in simple attire, a contrast that has been widely commented upon online, particularly alongside his use of expensive sunglasses and high-value cars.

In recent weeks, Satua Baba has also featured in news reports following a visit by Prayagraj District Magistrate Manish Verma to his camp, an event that later led to remarks from Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. During the mela, videos shared on the religious leader’s official social media accounts have shown him travelling by camel, tractor and cart, accompanied by chants from followers.

Responding to criticism surrounding his choice of transport, Satua Baba told News18 Hindi that the focus should not be on the vehicle but on the purpose of the journey. He said people should be free to travel by any means — whether a Defender, Ferrari, handcart, camel, e-rickshaw, plane or train — and concentrate on reaching their destination rather than judging the mode of travel.

"Not just the Magh Mela, but the whole of India is being discussed on the world stage because this is the India of Ram, of faith, of development. Can't people who believe in spirituality ride in these cars? This is the power of Sanatana Dharma. Those who were trying to suppress Sanatana Dharma, those who were trying to divide it, will be crushed by the speed of these very cars. I don't know the names of the cars. I don't even know how much they cost," he told ANI.

#WATCH | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: Jagatguru Mahamandaleshwar Santosh Das, alias Satua Baba, the head of Varanasi's Satua Baba Peeth, has become the centre of attention at the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, due to his collection of luxury vehicles He says, "Not… pic.twitter.com/nfUdlE8DGy — ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2026

Speaking separately to NDTV, Satua Baba defended his possession of luxury vehicles, saying that such resources were meant for “yogis” and not “bhogis”. During the interaction, he praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said the BJP leader had shown that India belongs to those who follow Sanatan Dharma while respecting the Constitution.

The controversy has continued to unfold on social media, where opinions remain divided. While some users argue that the display of wealth contradicts traditional expectations of ascetic life, others support Satua Baba’s assertion that modern resources can coexist with spiritual practice.

Meanwhile, the Magh Mela itself continues to draw large numbers of devotees. Thousands took a holy dip on Ekadashi, and the second major bathing ritual is scheduled for January 15 on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. The upcoming snan follows Paush Purnima, during which more than 31 lakh devotees bathed at the Sangam.