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Shanti Devi’s reincarnation remains one of the most intriguing and best-documented cases ever that aroused curiosity not only in India but around the world.
Shanti Devi’s case is especially noteworthy because it is one of the most extensively investigated cases, having been scrutinized by hundreds of scholars, critics, saints, and eminent personalities from India and abroad.
Born on December 11, 1926, in New Delhi, India, Devi was like any other child of her age. However, at the age of four, she made a strange claim that startled her parents. She claimed, “she had lived before“!
The girl claimed that she was in fact Lugdi Devi of Mathura, a north Indian town in India, where she used to live with her husband. Shanti Devi further claimed that her husband owned a cloth shop in Mathura, and she had a son with him.
The parents initially ignored her claims and did not take them seriously. However, they could not do it for long as she repeatedly talked about her past life incidents with them.
She shared three unique features about her husband – he was fair, wore glasses, and had a big wart on his left cheek. She also stated her husband’s shop was located right in front of the Dwarkadhish temple in Mathura.
She also narrated intricate details of her death after the birth of her child in the past life. These details puzzled her parents and they consulted their family physician to verify these claims. The physician was stunned to see a little girl narrate such a complicated surgical procedure with ease. This incident led the parents into believing her rebirth claims.
Mahatma Gandhi formed a committee to verify Shanti Devi’s claim.
The committee traveled with the Shanti Devi to Mathura, where she recognized the family members from her previous life. Shanti was able to substantiate all her claims in the presence of the committee members.
The commission finally concluded, though controversially, that Shanti Devi was indeed a reincarnation of Lugdi Devi.
