In a candid appearance on India TV’s iconic show Aap Ki Adalat, hosted by Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma, spiritual leader Bageshwar Baba, also known as Pandit Dhirendra Shastri, shared an inside story from Anant Ambani’s wedding reception in Australia and spoke about the Ambani family's respect for Indian culture and tradition.
When asked why the Ambanis sent a special chartered plane to bring him from Australia, Bageshwar Baba said, “I was called there (bulaya gaya). The manner in which they arranged their vivah parampara (wedding tradition) and mangalik karya and made the utsav a mahotsav with Sanatan Sanskriti (culture) is amazing.”
He further praised the Ambani family for respecting spiritual figures. “There are many rich (ameer) people in our country, but their ameeri (richness) should be such that you have sadhus, leaders, actors, sants, and mahants all getting due respect and honour. I loved it,” he said.
Bageshwar Baba recalled how Anant Ambani personally insisted on his presence. “When they said, ‘You have to come,’ and when he (Anant) said, ‘I won't become a dulha unless you come…’ He calls me Dada,” he said.
Baba initially hesitated due to a prior commitment. “I told him, ‘I have my katha in Australia; I will lose my dakshina (donations); badi aafat ho jayega.’ He replied, ‘Aap tension na lo, aapki katha pe hum plane bhejenge.’”
He described the journey on the luxurious private jet with amusement and wonder. “So they sent this big Cheel-Gaadi (chartered plane). It was nice. Sleeping on the plane. There was an arrangement to take a bath inside the plane. Gazab ki hawai jahaz thi. Hum toh bhagwan se keh rahe they ki aise har baar bheje jo jo humko bula rahe.”
Turning to host Rajat Sharma, he added with a smile, “Ab aapne nahin bheji (to attend Aap Ki Adalat), woh aapki kami hai.”
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding was one of the grandest events of 2024, attended by global celebrities, business leaders, political figures, and spiritual personalities, including Bageshwar Baba. The lavish celebrations blended traditional rituals with opulent arrangements, showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage on a global stage.
