"Deeply Attached To Devbhoomi Uttarakhand": Tokyo Businessman Gives Up Beauty Empire To Become Shiva Devotee

A 41-year-old Japanese man is making headlines for leaving behind his thriving business empire to become a saffron-clad Shiva devotee. Now known as Bala Kumbha Gurumuni, Hoshi Takayuki once owned a chain of 15 successful beauty product stores in Tokyo. But now? He is a Lord Shiva devotee on a soul-searching journey through Uttarakhand. Dressed in traditional saffron attire and accompanied by 20 Japanese followers, he was recently seen walking barefoot during the Kanwar Yatra, carrying sacred Ganga water. He reportedly also hosted a two-day food camp for fellow kanwariyas in Dehradun as part of his pilgrimage. 

Mr Takayuki's spiritual journey began two decades ago in Tamil Nadu, as per The Times of India. During the trip, he stumbled upon a Nadi astrology - an ancient Siddha practice that interprets life from palm-leaf manuscripts said to date back thousands of years. During the reading, he was reportedly told that he had lived a past life in the Himalayas and was destined to follow Hindu spirituality. 

Then, shortly after returning to Tokyo, Mr Takayuki said that he had a vivid dream. "I saw myself in Uttarakhand in a past life. That dream changed everything," he told TOI. 

Hoshi Takayuki, a 41-year-old former businessman from Tokyo, once owned a successful chain of 15 beauty-product stores in Japan. However, he gave up his luxurious lifestyle to fully embrace Hindu spirituality and devotion to Lord Shiva.

Now known as Bala Kumbha Gurumuni, Hoshi… pic.twitter.com/BTdQGC71yB

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Moved by this experience, Mr Takayuki decided to hand over his business empire to his followers and adopted a new spiritual identity and changed his name to Bala Kumbha Gurumuni. He also transformed his Tokyo home into a full-fledged Shiva temple and even constructed a second shrine. 

Mr Takayuki returned to India this July and is currently hosting a two-day food camp for kanwariyas in Dehradun as part of his yatra.

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Moreover, according to his friend Ramesh Sundriyal, an Indian expatriate from Pauri Garhwal and long-time Japan resident, the 41-year-old has purchased 35 acres of land in Puducherry, where he plans to build a major Shiva temple. He also intends to open an ashram in Uttarakhand soon. 

"I feel deeply attached to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. I believe I spent my past life here and am still searching for my village in the hills," he said.