Meet Shanti Devi, the Woman Who Lived Twice!
A Tale of Rebirth!
Do you believe in reincarnation? If you do, this story might blow your mind. If you don’t, this story will make you question your belief system.
The term “reincarnation” has its roots in Latin and is derived from two words: “re,” meaning “again,” and “incarnare,” meaning “to make flesh” or “becoming flesh again.”
In the heart of India, a remarkable story unfolded in the early 20th century — a story that challenged our understanding of life, death, and rebirth. Shanti Devi, a seemingly ordinary child, not only persuaded Mahatma Gandhi of her reincarnation but also demonstrated an uncanny ability to recall her previous life.
Backstory
On January 18, 1902, in Mathura, a girl named Lugdi was born to Chaturbhuj Chaubey and Jagti Devi. She married at ten to Kedar Nath Chaubey, but their first child didn’t survive. On September 25, 1925, Lugdi gave birth to a healthy son, Naunita Lal, in Agra, via Caesarean section. Tragically, just nine days later, on October 4, she passed away at 23 due to complications, leaving behind a grieving husband and son.
Early Recollections
A year and ten months after Lugdi’s death, on December 11, 1926, Shanti Devi was born to Babu Rang Bahadur Mathur in Delhi, India, leading a simple life in an ordinary family. However, her life would take an extraordinary turn at the age of 4 when she began to speak in a dialect different from her family’s and started recalling vivid memories of a past life, one she had not experienced in her current existence. These memories were not fleeting or vague but detailed and consistent.
Past Life
Shanti Devi claimed to be Lugdi Devi(previously mentioned), a woman who had lived in the town of Mathura, around 160 kilometers away from Delhi.
She asserted her husband lived in Mathura and ran a clothing shop, referring to herself as Chaubain. She shared daily episodes, such as descriptions of the sweets prepared in her previous home, her favorite dresses, and her knowledge of fabric quality, which she attributed to her husband’s fabric shop. She even criticized the quality of a fabric due to her husband’s expertise in fabric from his store.
Her account became more convincing when she described her past life’s husband — fair, with a spot on his left cheek and glasses. What astounded everyone was her statement that her past life’s husband’s shop was in front of the Dwarkadhish Temple.
For almost two years, she continued sharing these specifics, leaving her parents both puzzled and worried about her ability to recall these intricate details. Shanti Devi’s recollections were so convincing that her family decided to investigate further.
The Reunion
Shanti Devi had been making these claims since her childhood, which prompted her school’s headmaster, Lala Chand, to journey to Mathura to uncover the truth. Astonishingly, he found a businessman in Mathura whose wife, Lugdi Devi, had passed away during childbirth, leaving a child behind. Even more remarkable, this businessman matched the exact three distinctive features that Shanti Devi had described.
Lala Chand aimed to reunite Shanti Devi with Kedarnath Chaubey. He contacted Kedarnath, who sent his cousin, Kanji Mal Chaubey. Shanti Devi recognized Kanji Mal and shared precise details about their lives, confirming her authenticity.
Kanji Mal arranged for Kedarnath to visit. In a knowledge test, Kedarnath posed as his brother, Babu Ram Chaubey, seeking unique information only known to him and Lugdi. He was accompanied by Lugdi’s son, Naunita Lal. Shanti Devi did not falter and confidently identified Kedarnath by his mustache and facial birthmark described by her.
She embraced Naunita Lal, explaining that her soul recognized his. She recounted her life from childbirth to death, even describing intricate surgeries she had undergone before her passing. Her detailed account of these complex medical procedures left everyone amazed.
To confirm her identity, Kedarnath Chaubey decided to have a private conversation with Shanti Devi. There are two versions of this exchange:
- In one, she revealed her awareness of his infidelity, having seen exchanged glances with a nurse and later discovering their affair.
- In the other, she recalled specific positions and procedures she and Lugdi had used for intimacy, a method to overcome her arthritis-induced limitations.
She questioned why he had married again, given their prior agreement not to marry others. Ultimately, Kedarnath became convinced that Shanti Devi was indeed his late wife, Lugdi Devi.
The Homecoming Journey
This news spread rapidly and even reached the ears of Mahatma Gandhi, who, like many others, was curious to meet the lady behind it. He met Shanti Devi at his ashram and, after their conversation, established a ‘Committee of Inquiry’ comprising 15 members to investigate the claims of rebirth. On the 15th of November 1935, these 15 committee members, accompanied by Shanti Devi and her parents, journeyed to Mathura.
As soon as they stepped off the train, Shanti Devi immediately recognized an elderly man in traditional Mathura attire. She respectfully touched his feet and stepped aside. In a hushed tone, she informed L. Deshbandhu that he was her husband’s older brother (‘Jeth’). To everyone’s surprise, the man turned out to be Babu Ram Chaubey, confirming his identity as Kedar Nath Chaubey’s elder brother.
Subsequently, Shanti Devi guided the tonga driver to her home using her memory. She accurately described the changes made since her passing. Upon arrival, she respectfully touched the feet of an elderly man in the crowd, who was revealed to be Lugdi’s father-in-law. To everyone’s astonishment, she recollected the exact words he had once spoken to her.
To test her, she was asked about “jajroo,” and she correctly identified it as the washroom. When questioned about the meaning of ‘katora,’ she explained it was a type of ‘paratha.’ These words were significant as they were exclusive to the Chaubey family.
She not only described these details but also pointed out the well where she used to bathe in her past life. Additionally, she informed the committee about a specific spot on the second floor where she had hidden 150 rupees. They found a flower pot in the corner as she indicated and dug about a foot deep, but no money was found. Later, Kedarnath Chaubey confessed to taking the money after Lugdi Devi’s death. After these events, the Committee published a report in 1936, concluding that Shanti Devi was the reincarnation of Lugdi.
The Revelation
The case garnered both supporters and skeptics, leading to research by scholars and parapsychologists like Dr. Ian Stevenson and Sture Lönnerstrand. In an interview with Swedish author Sture Lönnerstrand, Shanti Devi attributed her current incarnation to Lugdi’s strong desire to return to life.
She described her death as a gradual process, differing from observers’ perceptions. Shanti Devi recounted a remarkable experience of witnessing her own funeral as a disembodied entity beyond time and space. She felt positioned between something, later realizing it was her mother’s womb.
Throughout her adult life, Shanti Devi taught Hindu religion and philosophy, sharing her experiences and the concept of reincarnation. She passed away at 61 on December 27, 1987.
The Shanti Devi case is not an isolated one. It is part of a larger body of research into reincarnation experiences, challenging our understanding of life and death. The case sparks a profound debate about the nature of consciousness and the mysteries of the human mind.
If you found this article interesting, here’s a fictional story I penned touching a similar topic:
