NEW DELHI – Sudhir Kumar Makkad, a 54-year-old former garment businessman from Delhi, now goes by the name ‘Golden Baba’. The ‘ascetic’, who reportedly wants to “atone” for “sins he committed as a businessman,” wears gold jewelry to pay homage to the goddess Laxmi.
“I will continue my kanwar yatra every year till my death,” the baba, who is on his 24th kanwar yatra, told HT.
He claimed to have spent Rs 72 lakh on his journey from Hardwar to Delhi last year, adding that he had expanded his budget to over Rs 1 crore this year. He is being accompanied by over 200 people and at least 10 bodyguards on his journey from Hardwar to his ashram in Gandhinagar, Delhi.
Many have questioned the source of his wealth.
“Sab uper wala deta hai (The Almighty gives everything),” he says, before explaining that it was bought with the money donated by his followers.
About 10 bodyguards and 200 followers are accompanying him this time in his annual pilgrimage, reported Hindustan Times.
