Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, will participate in the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, starting on January 13, 2025. Her attendance at this significant Hindu festival highlights its broad appeal across the world. Powell Jobs will be observing Kalpvas, a traditional spiritual practice during the Mela.
Kalpvas, an important part of Hindu customs referenced in scriptures like the Mahabharata, involves a month-long commitment to spiritual discipline. It begins on Paush Purnima and ends on Maghi Purnima. During this time, participants, called Kalpvasis, renounce comforts and live in temporary shelters near the Sangam—the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati rivers. They perform daily rituals such as bathing in the holy rivers, attending spiritual talks, and listening to devotional music, all focused on achieving inner purification and spiritual growth.
As per a Times of India report, Laurene Powell Jobs will reportedly stay at the camp of Swami Kailashananda, the Mahamandaleshwar of the Niranjani Akhara, during the Maha Kumbh Mela. She is expected to participate in several rituals and take a sacred dip at the Sangam, fully embracing the spiritual atmosphere of the event. Her stay will continue until January 29, during which she will immerse herself in the Mela’s distinctive cultural and religious customs.
