Is Laurene Powell’s new name “Kamala” inspired by her American Vice-President friend?

In Maha Kumbh Mela area Laurene Powell became a centre of attraction for media and a large number of other people attending the mela and outside. She took part in a religious ritual called “Pattabhishek”

Prayagraj: One of richest women in the world 61- year- old Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of Apple Inc. co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, is Kamala now in India, a name given to her by Swami Kailashanad Maharaj attending Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj.

It may be a coincidence but fact remains that Powell Jobs is a good friend of the outgoing USA Vice-President Kamala Harris whom she supported during US Presidential elections too. Harris was contesting for the coveted post of President but she had to face defeat against Donald Trump who is scheduled to take oath as President of America this month.

Powell Jobs visited the tent city of Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday hours before the first of the six bathing festivals to be observed during the Mela began early morning on Monday.

Earlier, she visited Varanasi, about 120 kilometres away from Prayagraj, where she was engaged in a prayer at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the company of sadhus, saints and others. But she was not allowed to touch the Shivlinga in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

In Maha Kumbh Mela area Laurene Powell became a centre of attraction for media and a large number of other people attending the mela and outside. She took part in a religious ritual called “Pattabhishek” organised for Vyasanand Giri Maharaj, a renowned spiritual leader, when she was spotted in a white dress and saffron colour shawl.

In fact, it was known to media and others that Laurene Powell would visit the Mela area as Swami Kailashanand had told the media about her visit a couple of days back.

He also shared with media that he had given the name of Kamala to Laurene Powell and that he treated her as his daughter. “She is coming to India for the second time”, he added.

According to Swami, Laurene Powell was not allowed to touch Shivlinga at Shri Kashi Vishnath Temple as only a Hindu can touch it. “She was given prasad (devotional offering made to the God that often consists of sweets) and also a garland.”

KAMALA HARRIS

Incidentally, Laurene Powell Jobs who has been given a Hindu name of Kamala is a friend and great supporter of another Kamala i.e. American Vice-President Kamala Harris who has India connection as her mother Shyamala Gopalan, a biomedical scientist, was from India who went to the USA for studies.

The Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump in the US Presidential election last year. If micro blogging site X head Elon Musk stood by Donald Trump, Powell was seen influencing support for Kamala Harris with substantial donations to her campaign and trying to see US President Joe Biden getting out of race for the Presidential position.

POWELL JOBS’ STAY

As per a report, Laurene Powell Jobs is likely to stay for 17 days in Swami Kailashanand’s ashram in the mela area during which she would take holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and mythical Saraswati and take part in certain other religious rituals.

MAHA KUMBH, 2025

Maha Kumbh Mela that commenced on Monday (January 13) with Paush Purnima bathing festival will be witness to five more such festivals including Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchmi on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12 and Maha Shivratri on February 26.

Over a month-long mela concludes with Maha Shivratri.

LAURENE POWELL JOBS

American billionaire and philanthropist Lurene Powell Jobs is the founder of Emerson Collective and XQ Institute and runs Steve Jobs Trust. She is known as a philanthropist and also a major donor to Democratic Party leaders in the USA.

In her X (formerly Twitter) profile she writes about herself as president of @EmCollective “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Laurene Powell’s spouse Steven Paul Jobs known to the world as Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. died on October 5, 2011 at an age of 56. After his death, Powell inherited the Steve Jobs’ 7% stake in The Walt Disney Company worth billions of dollars and also more than 38 million shares of Apple Inc. She has appeared in Forbes’ richest list, as per media reports.

SWAMI KAILASHANAND MAHARAJ

As per a website based on Swami Kailashanand Maharaj, he is “a Hindu spiritual guru , saint, yoga guru and a scholar and writer in Hindi, English and Sanskrit languages. Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji is the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Niranjani Akhara. As the first person of the Niranjani Akhara, he is the sannyasa of lakhs of Naga sadhus and the guru of thousands of Mahamandaleshwars.”

His photo with several renowned politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be seen top of the web portal.