Laurene Powell considers Swami Kailashanand her spiritual guide. He has given her his gotra (lineage) and a new name, “Kamala,” symbolizing a fresh spiritual journey under his guidance.
The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, the world’s largest religious and cultural festival, has started in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. This grand celebration of Sanatan Dharma has drawn millions of devotees from around the world to take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Among the prominent attendees is Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Her participation in the event has attracted significant attention. Laurene, one of the world’s wealthiest women, has embraced Sanatan Dharma by performing Kalpavas, a disciplined spiritual practice during the Kumbh Mela. She has also chosen Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Giri as her spiritual guide, who has given her the name ‘Kamala’ and assigned her a gotra.
Here’s all about Swami Kailashanand Giri, the spiritual guru chosen by Laurene Powell:
Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri is the head of the Niranjani Akhara. Just as a president holds the highest position above a prime minister in a country, in the spiritual hierarchy, the Shankaracharya holds the top position among saints. Below them, each of the 13 akharas has its own Acharya Mahamandaleshwar. In 2021, Swami Kailashanand was appointed Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Niranjani Akhara, after previously serving as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Agni Akhara.
To earn the title of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar, one must master the Vedas, Puranas, and other sacred texts through rigorous training and intense spiritual practices.
Swami Kailashanand Giri was born in 1976 in Jamui, Bihar, into a middle-class family. At a young age, he left his home to follow a spiritual path, dedicating himself entirely to devotion and never looking back at his family. To become a Mahamandaleshwar, one must renounce all worldly attachments, perform their own pind daan (symbolic death rituals), and undergo intense spiritual practices and penance.
Followers of Swami Kailashanand Giri
Swami Kailashanand currently heads the Kali Temple in Haridwar and is revered by many well-known figures. As the head of the Kali temple at Chandi Ghat, he performs rigorous penances, especially during the months of Sawan and Navratri, sitting in deep meditation for 22 to 24 hours without moving.
Personalities like Akhilesh Yadav, Mulayam Singh, rapper Honey Singh, cricketers Suresh Raina and Rishabh Pant, and actress Kangana Ranaut have sought his blessings.
Guide to Laurene Powell Jobs
Laurene Powell considers Swami Kailashanand her spiritual guide. He has given her his gotra (lineage) and a new name, “Kamala,” symbolizing a fresh spiritual journey under his guidance.
