12-05-2025
From Ambia Bano to Ambia Mala, a spiritual journey to seek salvation
Varanasi:
Ambia Bano
, a Muslim woman of Bangladeshi origin from London, embraced
Sanatan Dharma
in Varanasi on changed her name to
Ambia Mala
and performed the ritual of '
Pind Daan
' at Dashashwamedh Ghat in
Kashi
, praying for the salvation of her daughter who was lost 27 years ago during pregnancy.
The ritual was conducted by five Vedic Brahmins under the guidance of Kashi the ritual began, Santosh Ojha, founder-secretary of the social organisation Aagman, invited her to accept Sanatan Dharma after a bath in the Ganga.
She underwent a purification process by consuming Panchagavya. After becoming a follower of Sanatan Dharma, her name was changed from Ambia Bano to Ambia the occasion of Vaishakh Purnima, Acharya Pandit Dinesh Shankar Dubey initiated the 'Shraddha' ceremony with peace prayers in the afternoon, aiming for the liberation of her daughter who was lost in the womb. He was assisted by Pandit Sitaram Pathak, Krishnakant Purohit, Ramkrishna Pandey and Bhandari Mala, 49, was originally from Srirampur, Bangladesh, and grew up in London. She married Neville Born Jr, a follower of Christianity, in London. Neville converted to Islam to marry Ambia. About a decade after their marriage, they divorced according to Islamic said that in recent years, her daughter appeared in her dreams, asking for liberation. This led her to learn about Kashi through various media and reach out to the social organisation Aagman. After the ritual, Ambia feels not only happy but considers this a homecoming to Sanatan Dharma. She said that Sanatan Dharma emphasises peace, happiness, and the welfare of all.
