At the age of 19, Steve Jobs had expressed a desire to attend the Mahakumbh Mela. Back then, he had not yet become the renowned founder of Apple Inc. , the iconic Steve Jobs. A letter , he wrote to his friend Tim Brown on February 23, 1974, expressing this wish, has now gone viral on the internet. The letter was even auctioned for ₹4.32 crore.
In 1974, Steve Jobs visited India, but he did not participate as a pilgrim in the Kumbh Mela or take a holy dip in the Ganga. Instead, he spent several months at the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Nainital, its a completely different story altogether.
Fifty years after that incident, Steve Jobs’ widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, has come to participate in the Mahakumbh Mela this time. Is her visit to fulfill the incomplete wish of her late husband? Laurene, one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the world and a highly intellectual woman, has intriguingly remained silent about her intentions.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a MBA from Stanford University, Laurene Powell Jobs keeps herself away from the media. Instead, she has devoted herself to meditation and spiritual practice.
Laurene, who controls a $91,300 crore empire, is among Silicon Valley’s richest women. Her influence in American politics is immense. It was Laurene who played a key role in sidelining Joseph Biden as a presidential contender and pushing Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate.
Now, this immensely influential American multi-billionaire woman is staying in a temporary camp in Prayagraj, sleeping on a bed of straw. Braving the severe cold of North India, she wears simple yellow robes and is preparing to take a holy dip in the sacred Ganga. Immersed in a spiritual journey, she lives a ‘low-profile’ lifestyle.
Staying away from the media, Laurene is practicing penance in the Niranjani Akhara camp, reciting Hindu mantras and pronouncing Sanskrit verses with precision. Laurene has also taken part in the tradition of “Kalpavas.”
In Sanatana (Hindu) culture, “Kalpavas” is an ancient spiritual practice of residing on the banks of the Ganga and adhering to religious rituals. Laurene Powell Jobs is deeply attracted to Sanatana Dharma. Not only is she attracted, but she has also changed her name to “Kamala” and taken initiation into Hinduism to obtain religious permission for taking the holy dip in the Ganga at this Maha Kumbh.
However, due to her allergy to overcrowded places, Laurene’s holy dip has been slightly delayed amid the massive gathering at the event. Laurene is performing all these religious practices under the guidance of Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri Maharaj, having become his disciple and adopting the Hindu name “Kamala.”
It appears that this self-sacrifice by the American billionaire Laurene is an effort to fulfill the unfulfilled wish of her late husband, Steve Jobs.
Back in 1974, Steve Jobs had a psychedelic experience in the lap of the Himalayas. Enriched by profound hallucinations, he returned to America and went on to become an extraordinarily successful entrepreneur.
Now, his beloved wife has become an adherent of the Ganga, the daughter of the Himalayas. She has embraced Sanatana Dharma. Who knows what dream this 60-year-old influential American woman is trying to realize by seeking solace in Sanatana Dharma?
Everyone curious awaits that answer.