Actor Ananya Panday recently shared a special tribute to her spiritual teacher on Instagram for Guru Purnima. Along with her parents, Chunky Panday and Bhavana Pandey, Ananya is a devoted follower of Guruji, whose real name was Nirmal Singh Maharaj.
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On Sunday, Ananya posted a close-up picture of her hand on Instagram Stories, showcasing a blue bracelet adorned with pictures of Guruji. She captioned the photo, “Guru Purnima Shukrana ,” and was seen wearing a white, printed outfit.
Last month, Ananya’s mother Bhavana Pandey hosted a special pooja (prayer ceremony) for Guruji. She shared a post showing herself and Chunky Panday sitting on the floor in a room decorated with red cloth and flowers. Bhavana wrote, “So much to be grateful for! Thank you. Jai Guruji. Shukrana Guruji. Om Namah Shivay.”
Guruji, also known as Dugri Wale Guruji and Shukrana Guruji, was born Nirmal Singh Maharaj in 1954 in Dugri village, Punjab. He was a highly educated man with double MAs in English and Economics. Guruji is believed to have been an incarnation of Lord Shiva and is known for touching the lives of millions and healing thousands of people.
Guruji lived in various cities including Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Delhi, and Mumbai before settling in New Delhi’s Empire Estate house, which is now known as the Chotta Mandir. He also established the Shiv Mandir in Chattarpur, which houses his samadhi (final resting place). Guruji passed away in May 2007.
Guruji had many devoted followers, including celebrities like Hema Malini, Jacqueline Fernandez, and the late Rishi Kapoor.