Who Is Baba Neem Karoli? The mystical Sage who inspired Virat Kohli-Anushka Sharma, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Julia Roberts

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma recently visited the Baba Neem Karoli ashram in Vrindavan, Mathura, with their daughter Vamika. The couple, who stayed at the ashram for an hour, meditated at baba’s ‘kutia’ (hut) and visited his samadhi.

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s families have been ardent followers of Baba Neem Karoli. Besides Vrindavan, Baba has ashrams in Rishikesh, Shimla, Delhi, and in Taos (New Mexico, USA).

Who is Baba Neem Karoli who inspired Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Julia Roberts?

Baba Neem Karoli, also known as Neeb Karori Baba has followers worldwide including renowned celebs. He is a Hindu guru known to his followers as Maharaj Ji. Baba was a devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman. An adept of bhakti yoga, he always encouraged service to others (seva) and considered it as the highest form of unconditional devotion to God. Born as Lakshaman Narayan Sharma, he left his well-to-do Brahmin family after being married at 14, to lead a life of a sadhu. However, he returned to his family upon his father’s persuasion and lived a settled married life with two sons and a daughter. He left home in 1958 and boarded a train. He was forced to get down of the train at the village ‘Neem Karoli’ for not traveling with a ticket. Thus began his journey as a wandering saint. He later settled in his ashram, building a Hanuman Temple.

Baba Neem Karoli was known for being the spiritual master of a number of Americans who travelled to India in the 1960s and 70s, the most well-known being the spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das, and the musicians Krishna Das and Jai Uttal.

Baba Neem Karoli passed away on September 11, 1973, in a hospital at Vrindavan after he slipped into a diabetic coma. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Julia Roberts also paid a visit to Baba Neem Karoli ashram.

In 2015, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg visited the ashram in Kainchi. This was the time when Facebook was going through a tough phase. Later, it was revealed that Apple founder Steve Jobs had suggested Zuckerberg visit the ashram. 

Steve Jobs also visited the ashram to meet Neem Karoli Baba with his friend Dan Kottke. However, he couldn’t meet him as he passed away before his arrival. 

Furthermore, it is said Julia Roberts is also said to be influenced by Neem Karoli Baba and was drawn to Hinduism because of him.