Popular Hindu spiritual leader and Mahant of Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri is currently in London for his Ram Katha event. The event is being attended by hundreds of devotees along with some British officials. On Thursday, July 27, a British person named Simon also visited Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri to seek his blessings. During the event, Pandit Dheerendra Krishna Shastri talked about the historic Kohinoor diamond.
On July 25, a video was posted from the official Twitter handle of Bageshwar Dham in which a British person named Simon was seen donning a Ram Naami scarf during the said event. In the British official’s presence, Dhirendra Shastri said in response to a question that “There was a time when the British used to speak and our ancestors listened but today they listen to our Ram Katha in London.
Notably, the Koh-i-noor (mountain of light) diamond has been a source of conflict between India and England for many years, with demands arising in India for its repatriation. Bageshwar Baba’s unguarded comments regarding the precious diamond re-sparked debate over its legitimate provenance and repatriation to India.
As seen in the 4:13 minute-long video, Shastri while addressing a huge gathering in a hall said that the Koh-i-noor will be brought back. “By the way, I cannot say give back the Kohinoor,” he added. I have to come here much more frequently now. People will say that he spreads chaos. already infamous as whatever is in my heart, I express it clearly,” Shastri said.
During the event, Bageshwar Baba Pandit Dhirendra Shastri from the stage wished for the liberation of England and blessed the King of Britain from the Vyas Peeth. He also prayed for England’s economic growth.
Koh-i-noor
The controversial diamond, which is now part of Crown Jewels, was originally unearthed in Southern India. Reportedly, the East India Company seized Koh-i-Noor from Maharaja Duleep Singh in 1849 and handed it over to Queen Victoria. The diamond was then recut in 1852 by the royal jeweller, Garrad of London, to improve its brilliance.
Bageshwar Dham and Mahant Dhirendra Krishna Shastri
The Bageshwar Dham Temple is situated in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The temple is devoted to Lord Hanuman. 26-year-old Dhirendra Krishna Shastri originally was Dhirendra Krishna Garg. Shastri is the Mahant (head priest) of the temple and is popularly called ‘Bageshwar Dham Sarkar’. According to the information available on the website of Bageshwar Dham, Shastri is the successor of his grandfather Dada Guruji Maharaj who was a ‘Siddh’ saint.