Nupur Alankar: The purpose of life is to merge with divinity, like a drop of water returning to the ocean

From the hills to the Himalayas, the Yamuna to the Ganges, and from ancient caves to remote ashrams, Nupur Alankar has spent the past three years living a life few would dare to imagine.

Having renounced the material world and taken sanyaas, the former actress has returned to the city not to resume her old life, but to share the spiritual lessons she learnt during this transformative period.In a chat with Mumbai Mirror, she says, “My days were spent travelling from one teerth to another, meditating and building a deeper connection with God. If I start naming every place, the list would be endless. Those three years were completely devoted to God and nothing else.”Her decision to renounce worldly attachments initially raised eyebrows, with some assuming it was a temporary escape from personal hardships. She says, “Everyone sees things through their own lens. Maybe one day they will realise that my choice was never a phase. I do not miss Mumbai or the film industry. I worked for as long as I had to and got what I deserved. Life feels lighter now because I am finally where I am meant to be.

”She adds, “My journey has always been one of evolution. I have lived in agyatvaas, completely disconnected from the world, devoting myself to sadhana and dhyan. I have stayed in places without electricity, where even asking for your basic needs becomes humbling. It destroys the ego. Now I am back to share what I have gained.”Nupur has returned with a new name and identity: Peetambra Maa. She shares, “I feel blessed by a certain deity and carry her name now.

It was given to me by my guruji, Shambhu Sharan Jha. There are some spiritual experiences we are not allowed to reveal, and this transformation is one of them. Peetambra is the name of the deity of justice. I am here to guide people, to help them fight negativity and reconnect with the divine.

”She adds, “I am now a sevak of the divine and have come back to fulfil certain duties. The purpose of life, for everyone, is to merge with divinity, like a drop of water returning to the ocean.

Naam jap karo. That is my message. Difficult times are ahead for humanity, and only naam jap will protect us. If I could transform myself in four years, anyone can. You just need to connect with the divinity within.”Renouncing material life, however, comes with its own set of practical challenges. Ask her how she manages daily expenses, and she says, “It actually became easier after I stepped away from the material world.

Earlier, there were bills, lifestyle costs, diets to maintain. During my time away, I managed with 10,000 to 12,000 rupees a month. There is also a practice called bhikshatan, which is observed a few times a year.

I beg for alms and share that offering with God and my guru. It dissolves the ego. I live with four or five pairs of clothes. People who visit ashrams bring offerings, sometimes clothes too, and that is enough.”She recalls the physical toll this life has taken. “I have lived in caves, forests and high altitudes sometimes without heaters or basic shelter. I have endured frostbite, rat bites, and battled a month-long dysentery episode in freezing temperatures. My body weakened due to the rigorous tapasyas.”‘My sister’s death changed everything’While Nupur faced several difficulties before taking sanyaas — the PMC bank crisis, financial strain, her mother’s illness and passing during Covid, and family property disputes — it was the loss of her sister Jigyasa that became the turning point. She says, “My journey was always full of challenges, so I was used to hardship. But spiritual challenges are different. When you connect with God the right way, you get the strength to face them.

My sister’s sudden death shattered me. I could not bear the pain or understand how to go on. So, I surrendered completely to God.”