Neem Karoli Baba

Biography Kainchi Dham ashram established by Neem Karoli Baba in 1964. Lakshman Narayan Sharma was born around 1900 in the village Akbarpur in the Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India, in a wealthy Brahmin family. He later returned home, at his father's request, to live a settled married life. He fathered two sons and a daughter. During his life two main ashrams were built, at Kainchi and at Vrindavan. In time, over 100 temples were constructed in his name. after slipping into a diabetic coma. He had been returning by night train to Kainchi near Nainital, from Agra where he had visited a heart specialist due to experiencing pains in his chest. He and his traveling companions had disembarked at Mathura railway station where he began convulsing and was taken to a hospital where he died. His last words, repeated several times, were "Jaya Jagadish Hare" ("Hail to the Lord of the Universe"). His samadhi (shrine) was built in the complex of the Vrindavan ashram.

Legacy After returning to the United States, Ram Dass and Larry Brilliant founded the Seva Foundation, an international health organization based in Berkeley, California. In the late 2000s the 'Love Serve Remember Foundation' was established to promote the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba. In 2024 his follower Rahul Verma founded the NKB Divine Meditation Foundation, offering free guided meditation sessions based on the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba.

Each year on June 15, to commemorate the foundation day of Kainchi Dham in 1964, a large mela (fair) known as Kainchi Dham Mela, is organised, in which thousands of devotees and pilgrims take part.

In popular culture

Films and documentaries

Windfall of Grace is a documentary film directed by Japna Tulsi about Neem Karoli Baba and his devotees. The film explores Baba's life and legacy through accounts by devotees, kirtan and visits to places associated with him.

Moved by Grace is a documentary about devotees of Neem Karoli Baba and their experiences following their association with him. The film was released on 1 December 2022, the anniversary of Baba's birth.

One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das is a 2012 documentary film about Krishna Das. It follows his journey to India in search of Neem Karoli Baba and his subsequent spiritual relationship with Baba.

American Yogi is a documentary film directed by Steven Newmark and based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba. The film follows Newmark's journey and his efforts to present Indian spirituality to Western audiences.

Brilliant Disguise: The Samadhi of K.C. Tewari is a 2022 documentary directed by David Silver about K.C. Tewari, a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba. The film follows Tewari's life and his association with Baba and Western spiritual seekers who travelled to India.

Shree Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj is a 2026 Hindi-language biographical drama directed by Sharad Singh Thakur, with Subodh Bhave portraying Neem Karoli Baba. The film was released on 29 May 2026.

Hanuman Ansh is a 2026 Hindi-language devotional drama written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi. The film is based on real-life incidents associated with Neem Karoli Baba and stars Shobhinaw Satyaa as Baba. It was released in theatres on 7 August 2026.