Mahant Swami Maharaj Age, Family, Biography & More
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Age: 91 Years
Religion: Hinduism
Hometown: Jabalpur
Bio/Wiki | |
---|---|
Birth Name | Keshav Patel [1]Desh Gujarat |
Other Name(s) | • Vinu Bhagat • Sadhu Keshavjivandas |
Nickname | Vinu Patel (given by his family) [2]BAPS |
Profession | Spiritual Leader |
Physical Stats & More | |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Bald |
Career | |
Honour | In 2017, he was given Key to key to the city by the mayors of various cities including Toronto in Canada, Lilburn in Georgia, Irving in Texas, and Chicago in Illinois. |
Personal Life | |
Date of Birth | 13 September 1933 (Wednesday) |
Age (as of 2024) | 91 Years |
Birthplace | Jabalpur, Madhya Pradsh |
Zodiac sign | Virgo |
Nationality | Indian |
Hometown | Jabalpur |
School | Christ Church Boys Senior Secondary School in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh |
College/University | Bansilal Amrutlal College of Agriculture in Anand, Gujarat |
Educational Qualification | a bachelor's degree of Science in Agriculture at the Bansilal Amrutlal College of Agriculture in Anand, Gujarat. [3]Desh Gujarat |
Religion | Swaminarayan Sampradaya of the Vaishnava Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination |
Food Habit | Vegetarian |
Relationships & More | |
Marital Status | Unmarried |
Family | |
Wife/Spouse | N/A |
Parents | Father- Manibhai Narayanbhai Patel (Businessman) Mother- Dahiben |
Style Quotient |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Mahant Swami Maharaj
- Mahant Swami Maharaj is an Indian spiritual leader. He is the sixth successor of the Swaminarayan. He is the president and the guru of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
- Mahant Swami Maharaj’s father was from Anand in Gujarat but moved to Jabalpur to start a dairy business. When he was only six months old, Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj visited their home in Jabalpur, blessed the newborn, and gave him a Kanthi mala (a necklace made of Basil seeds). Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj also named him Keshav, but his family called him Vinu.
- In May 1951, while Keshav Patel was in college, he met Pramukh Swami Maharaj for the first time when Pramukh Swami Maharaj and his followers visited Keshav Patel’s home. According to Mahant Swami Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj sincerely apologized to him for any inconvenience he may have caused as they left his house. He believes that it was at this exact moment that Yogiji Maharaj’s unmatched love and humility left a strong impression on him.
- Over the next few years, during his college summer breaks, Keshav travelled with Pramukh Swami Maharaj to various places in India, listened to his teachings, and later, inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s way of life, he decided to become a monk.
- In 1957, Pramukh Swami Maharaj ordained Keshav Patel as a pārshad and gave him the name Vinu Bhagat. Vinu Bhagat then became Yogiji’s assistant and accompanied him on travels for the following three years.
- In 1960, Pramukh Swami Maharaj ordained Vinu Bhagat for the second time as a pārshad at Kapolvadi, Mumbai, along with eight other disciples. These nine disciples were referred to as ‘Nav Yogeshwars.’
- In 1961, Pramukh Swami Maharaj initiated Vinu Bhagat and 50 other disciples as Sadhu. Vinu Bhagat was the first among the 51 to receive the bhāgwati dikshā, and Yogiji Maharaj named him Sadhu Keshavjivandas. Following the initiation of the Sadhus, Swamiji entrusted Sadhu Keshavjivandas with the responsibility of overseeing the young Sadhus and appointed him as the ‘Mahant’ of Dadar Mandir in Mumbai. It was there that he acquired the name, Mahant Swami. [4]BAPS
- In 1971, after Yogiji Maharaj passed away, he devoted himself to Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the new guru. He travelled to different states and cities all over India, as well as to foreign countries. Since 1971, as per Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s guidance, Swami Maharaj has committed himself to supporting and strengthening the Satsang community. He has offered his services for Akshardham initiatives, children’s and youth programs, and various Satsang events during the BAPS mega-festivals.
- In 1977, Mahant Swami Maharaj made his first visit to North America. He journeyed across the country by road, visiting the homes of followers and various BAPS temples in America alongside Pramukh Swami Maharaj, to foster a strong Satsang community.
- In 1985, Mahant Swami Maharaj attended the Cultural Festival of India (CFI) in London and also inaugurated the CFI souvenir book. In 1986, Mahant Swami Maharaj took a team of Sadhus on a global journey to conduct research for creating exhibits of Akshardham in Gandhinagar. In 1988, Mahant Swami Maharaj led another group of Sadhus to 17 countries, including Nairobi, to celebrate Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s 68th birthday.
- On August 13, 2016, following the passing of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Mahant Swami Maharaj was appointed as the new leader and spiritual guide of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. He was declared as the sixth spiritual successor in Swaminarayan’s lineage of gurus. As the president of BAPS, he has travelled extensively around the world to arrange Satsangs and deliver teachings.
- In February 2024, he travelled to Abu Dhabi as a state guest for the opening ceremony of the first BAPS Hindu temple in the Gulf nation.
His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS arrives in the UAE and is welcomed by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan
Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.#FOHabudhabi #AbuDhabiMandir #FestivalofHarmony #Love #Peace #Harmony pic.twitter.com/XFoJfBo36Z— BAPS Hindu Mandir (@AbuDhabiMandir) February 6, 2024
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