Hanuman Ansh: Decoding the Life of Neeb Karori Baba

The soulful notes of "Maine Tere Hi Bharose Hanuman" played as Raghav worked out on the treadmill. Something was different about this song; the notes tugged at his heart. For the twenty-four-year-old who had grown up worshipping Lord Hanuman, devotion was strength. But this song was different. It spoke a quiet language. The rustic Bundelkhandi Hindi lyrics, delivered in a street-singing style, made surrender feel real.

As he listened, Raghav’s struggles flashed through his mind like a film reel:  bullying in school, a low-paying job, competitive exam preparation, and the heavy weight of his own dreams. And the song confirmed his biggest realisation: no matter how hard life became, Lord Hanuman had always stood by him like a rock. Fascinated, Raghav glanced at his screen. The track was from the recently released movie, Hanuman Ansh.

Curious, he searched the internet. Raghav expected to see the familiar, grand image of the monkey god. Instead, he was staring at a photograph of an old, heavy-set man wrapped in a simple plaid blanket, smiling with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Beneath the picture was a name he had never heard: Neeb Karori Baba.

Right next to it were his core teachings:

• Love everyone,
• Serve everyone,
• Feed everyone, and
• Remember God.

Raghav is not alone in feeling the magnetic pull toward this song (and many others) from Hanuman Ansh. Children, youngsters, and older adults have found an instant connection with the story of the Saint of Kainchi Dham. But as Raghav stared at the screen, a wave of curiosity washed over him. This blog is a small effort to answer some of the frequent questions that people are asking about Baba ji’s life.

Highlights of the Blog:

• Who exactly is Neem Karoli Baba?
• What was Neem Karoli Baba's real name, and how did his journey begin?
• What Sadhanas did he perform?
• How did Neeb Karori Baba become “Neem Karoli Baba”?
• Did Neem Karoli Baba ever have a family?
• When did Neem Karoli Baba fully renounce worldly life?
• Kainchi Dham: Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram
• What was Neem Karoli Baba’s secret mantra?
• What is the power of chanting Ram-Naam?

Who Exactly Is Neem Karoli Baba?

Neeb Karori Baba—popularly known as Neem Karoli Baba, or Maharaj ji—was an Indian mystic, lifelong Hanuman devotee, and a spiritual master. He is widely revered for his simple lifestyle, unconditional love, and a spiritual influence that extended far beyond India to the West.

Maharaj-ji was known for his unconditional love, freedom from strict religious rules, and ability to bring together people from all kinds of backgrounds. His followers don't fit into a single category. From some of the most influential visionaries of the modern tech era to local farmers and daily wage labourers, he was and is revered by both. His followers came from Jewish, Christian, Sikh, and Sufi/Muslim backgrounds.

American physician, epidemiologist, and philanthropist Dr Larry Brilliant was a devout follower of Baba. With Baba’s guidance, Dr Brilliant joined the WHO’s smallpox eradication programme and played an active role. Political figures such as the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also sought Baba’s counsel and blessings.

Maharaj ji treated everyone, including those who had made past mistakes, with compassion. He did not judge people by their past; instead, he encouraged them to change for the better.

What Was Neem Karoli Baba's Real Name, And How Did His Journey Begin?

Born in 1900 as Lakshman Narayan Sharma to a wealthy Brahmin family in Akbarpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Maharaj-ji was drawn to spirituality from early childhood. According to traditional accounts, he was born on Shukla Paksh Ashtami in the month of Margashirsh. He lost his mother at a young age, and at 11, his parents arranged his marriage. Uninterested in family life, he left home and wandered across North India as a young sadhu, carrying only a chimta, a kamandal, and simple clothes, trusting God for food and shelter. 

What Sadhanas Did He Perform? 

Sri Hanuman temple built by Maharaj ji 

Though Maharaj-ji rarely spoke about his own practices, accounts of his early life suggest intense, traditional sadhanas. In his early years as a wandering monk in Gujarat, he meditated for hours immersed in a pond, earning him the name Talaiyya Baba (the pond Baba).

Later, he reached Neeb Karori village in Uttar Pradesh. The villagers became so fond of him that they built an underground cave for their beloved “Lakshman Das Baba,” where he stayed alone for days, deeply absorbed in silent meditation. Above this cave, he built a temple for Sri Hanuman. On the day of its consecration, he shaved his matted hair and traded his ascetic loincloth for a traditional cotton dhoti. 

How Did Neeb Karori Baba Become “Neem Karoli Baba”?

Maharaj ji sitting near the stopped train

The name stems from a famous legend. One day, Maharaj ji boarded a train without a ticket. When British officials found out, they ordered his immediate removal, forcing the saint off the train at the village of Neeb Karori.

But then, the train would not move. Engineers checked everything, but the engine refused to budge. Finally, the railway officials approached Maharaj ji, apologising and requesting him to return. He agreed, but on two conditions: they must build a railway station at Neeb Karori for the villagers, and they must promise to treat sages with respect in the future. As soon as he stepped back onto the train, it started moving again.

He became known as "the baba from Neeb Karori." In the local dialect, the pronunciation shifted between Neeb Karori, Nib Karori, and Neem Karoli. As his fame spread globally, the easier‑to‑say “Neem Karoli Baba” became the most popular variation.

Did Neem Karoli Baba Ever Have a Family?

The answer might surprise you. Yes, he did! After the temple consecration, at his father’s request, Maharaj Ji eventually returned home and accepted the responsibilities of a householder. He lived with his wife, Ram Beti Devi, and they had three children: two sons, Anek Singh Sharma and Dharma Narayan Sharma, and a daughter named Girija Devi (later known as Girija Devi Bhatele).

Girija Devi ji heads the Shri Neem Karoli Maharaj Trust that manages the family’s ancestral home.

When Did Neem Karoli Baba Fully Renounce Worldly Life?

For some years, he fulfilled his duties as a husband and father while continuing his spiritual life. His family remained an important part of his life, but his heart has always belonged to Hanumanji.

Eventually, Maharaj Ji left his life as a grihasth and returned to sanyas, giving up worldly attachments and dedicating himself fully to Hanuman bhakti, Ram Naam, seva, and the service of others.

Kainchi Dham: Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram

Neem Karoli Baba Ashram Kainchi Dham

Hanuman Ghati, or Hanuman Garhi, in Nainital, Uttarakhand, was reportedly the first ashram Neeb Karori Maharaj established in 1951. Then, in the forest near Kainchi village, along the Nainital–Almora road, Maharaj-ji was instantly drawn to a sacred spot where two ascetics, Sadhu Premi Baba and Sombari Maharaj, once lived and performed yagnas (fire rituals). It is at this place that the foundation of Kainchi Dham was laid in 1962.

On 15 June 1964, the idol of Hanumanji was consecrated through pran pratishtha. This formally established Kainchi Dham as an ashram.

Soon, seekers from far and wide started visiting the ashram. Richard Alpert (Ram Dass), Jeffrey Kagel (Krishna Das), and Dr Larry Brilliant found their way to the Neem Karoli Baba Mandir.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs travelled to India in 1974 hoping to meet Neem Karoli Baba to find intuitive clarity rather than intellectual answers. Sadly, Baba had already attained Mahasamadhi in Vrindavan on September 11, 1973. Yet, the energy of the ashram profoundly shaped Jobs' worldview. Years later, during a crisis at Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg visited Kainchi Dham Mandir on Jobs’s specific advice to find his own sense of purpose.

What Was Neem Karoli Baba’s Secret Mantra?

Maharaj ji writing Ram naam

Maharaj Ji often repeated and wrote RAM-NAAM. For him, Ram Naam was not just a chant. It was a way of keeping Prabhu in his heart with every breath. Maharaj ji often stated, “Ram naam karne se sab pura ho jata” (By continuously chanting the Ram naam, everything is brought to fullness and completion).

He also championed the Bhandara—the continuous, indiscriminate feeding of visitors—teaching that God comes to the hungry in the form of food.

What Is the Power Of Chanting Ram-Naam?

Devotees such as Ram Dass and Siddhi Ma report that Neem Karoli Baba constantly taught  “Ram Naam Karo,” chant the name of Sri Ram. He also encouraged his followers to recite the Hanuman Chalisa regularly. 

Ram Dass, Maharaj-ji’s devotee, explains that repeating “Ram, Ram” or “Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram” helps bring attention back to the present moment and a sense of divine presence. When the mind is caught in judgment, criticism, or anxiety, the simple act of returning to the ‘name’ softens the heart and reduces the ego’s grip. Ram-naam japa makes one compassionate, giving rise to Seva Bhav (selfless service): the essence of Hanuman Bhakti. You can also begin your spiritual practice with Ram naam. Start your Ram Naam Jap sadhana in Kishkindha on the Sadhana App and take a step towards this simple yet beautiful path of devotion.

Writing Ram-naam is also a form of active meditation, engaging the hand, eye, and mind together.

For the millions who are discovering Neem Karoli Baba—whether through a song, a book, or a visit to Kainchi Dham—the lesson is profoundly simple. We all have the capacity to become Hanuman Ansh. It requires unconditional love, devotion, and the desire to serve like Sri Hanuman. The journey to understand Maharaj ji may start on the outside, but the real destination is always within.