Sat Jan 25 10:09:56 IST 2025: ## Bollywood Star Mamta Kulkarni Takes Holy Orders at Kumbh Mela
**Prayagraj, India** – In a surprising turn of events, former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, known for her roles in 1990s hits like “Karan Arjun,” has embraced a spiritual life, becoming a Maha Mandaleshwar (high-ranking monastic leader) within the Kinnar Akhada, a monastic order for transgender sadhus, at the Mahakumbh-2025 festival.
On Friday, Kulkarni, now 52, underwent a sanyas diksha (monkhood initiation) ceremony at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. She performed ancestral rites, signifying a complete break from her former life, and adopted the new name Shri Yamai Mamata Nand Giri. The ceremony was presided over by several prominent religious leaders, including Acharya Maha Mandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, head of the Kinnar Akhada.
Kulkarni, who left India in 2000 and returned in December 2024, stated that this was not a sudden decision, having begun her spiritual journey in 2000 under the guidance of Swami Chaitanya Gagangiri. She emphasized her years of tapasya (austerity) leading to this momentous occasion.
The actress’s past includes an accusation in a large-scale drug case in 2016, resulting in a non-bailable warrant. However, the Bombay High Court dismissed the charges against her in August 2024 due to insufficient evidence. Now, she dedicates herself to the propagation and protection of Sanatan Dharma within her new religious role. The Mahakumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, provided the backdrop for this dramatic life change.
First Piper 