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 jewellery to pay homage to Goddess Laxmi.
This year, he was spotted wearing 12 kilograms of gold chains, bracelets, rings, and a diamond watch. All of these come from donations from his followers, he claimed. The net worth of the jewellery he wears is about ₹4 crore, according to a report in The Times of India. The watch alone costs ₹27 lakh.
About 10 bodyguards and 200 followers are accompanying him this time in his annual pilgrimage, reported Hindustan Times. The budget for his trip this year is ₹1 crore. This is his 24th kanwar yatra, an annual Hindu pilgrimage by Shiva devotees to holy sites in India.
He helps around 200 women of poor families marry each year, he claimed. He usually travels in expensive cars like an Audi, Fortuner or BMW.