Philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, receives spiritual initiation from her guru and head seer of Panchayati Akhada Shri Niranjani Swami Kailashanand Giri, amid the ongoing ‘Maha Kumbh Mela’ festival, in Prayagraj.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Laurene Powell Jobs, the billionaire widow of Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, who had developed an allergy ahead of the first ‘Amrit Snan’ on Tuesday, cut short her stay at Maha Kumbh and left Prayagraj by a special flight.
According to the sources, Laurene left for Bhutan, where she was likely to stay for a few days.
Sources said that Laurene, who had been staying at the 'shivir' (camp) of her 'Guru' Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri Niranjani Akhara, left for Bhutan on Wednesday afternoon.
A senior seer from the Akhara said on Thursday that Laurene was given 'mantra deeksha' (initiation is mantra) before leaving. ''She was given the deeksha of Goddess Kali's mantra.....she will now chant the mantra as part of the initiation,'' said the seer.
Laurene, who arrived at Mahakumbh on Monday, had fallen sick owing to the huge crowds as she had never been to such a crowded place before.
Laurene had reached Varanasi on Saturday and visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple there.
According to the earlier reports, Laurene had plans to observe ‘kalpavas’ (a ritual during which the devotee follows a disciplined religious life on the bank of the Ganga) at the Mahakumbh.
Swami Kailashananda is said to be Laurene’s ‘guru’. The Swami said that Laurene had been adopted like a daughter and given a new name ‘Kamala’. ‘’Laurene is curious to know about our traditions and culture,’’ he said.