The film 'Hanuman ANSH,' dedicated to Nim Karoli Baba, attracted viewers due to high box office collections. Baba's simple life and teachings continue to guide people. Baba's sacred place is located in Kainchi Dham, where thousands of pilgrims arrive daily for visits. Many have noticed that in most photographs, Nim Karoli Baba is depicted wrapped in a blanket. His devotees claim that Baba always carried this blanket with him, regardless of whether the weather was cold or hot. The explanation for this mystery is presented below.
Although there is no irrefutable evidence regarding Nim Karoli Baba's blanket, his followers, such as Dada Mukherji, assert that Baba constantly kept this blanket with him. He wore it always—be it cold, hot, or rainy. There is an assertion that the blanket always emitted the scent of a newborn baby. People recount that it sometimes felt very heavy, and sometimes very light, which was perceived as a miracle.
Dada Mukherji explains that his blanket was not merely a means of creating a specific recognizability. It also symbolized simplicity, renunciation, and spiritual strength. Baba urged attention to the mind and spiritual consciousness, rather than outward appearance. An example is given of an instance when one of the followers tried to tidy up Baba's blanket. Baba then said: 'Let it be as it is. One should never attach oneself to anything.'
There is another common belief regarding the blanket. Pilgrims believed that Baba took on the sorrow and suffering of his followers. This is why the blanket was seen as a symbol of protection. Some followers also reported that Baba covered sick people with the blanket, and they felt relief. Many other amazing stories related to this blanket circulate among people.
Nim Karoli Baba's blanket was blue or light in shade. People associate the color blue with peace and spiritual stability. It is believed that this color helped Baba remain calm and balanced. Baba placed more importance on inner practice than on external circumstances. Therefore, the blanket became a symbol of simplicity, peace, and renunciation for him. It is also claimed that Baba used this blanket to conceal his powers so that people would not be too strongly drawn to his might, or it could have been a way to avoid crowds.
American psychologist Richard Elpert, who later became known as Ram Das, wrote the book 'Miracle of Love' in 1979. In it, he mentions a 'shielded blanket,' describing a certain incident. He wrote that Nim Karoli Baba was always covered by a blanket, which is why people continue to bring blankets to Kainchi Dham today. After Baba's passing, photographs of him with his blanket became so widely circulated that pilgrims visiting his sacred place began bringing and donating blankets.