Filmmaker and choreographer
Farah Khan, recently travelled to Haridwar for an episode of her YouTube series to meet yoga
guru and Patanjali co-founder
Baba Ramdev. Accompanied by her cook Dilip, Farah explored the vast Patanjali campus in Uttarakhand. There, they visited Ramdev’s unique jhopdi built from Jodhpur stones and enjoyed a special dish called ATM.
Shaahi Mahal vs jhopdi
Farah Khan began her video by sharing, “We have come to meet Baba Ramdev ji. We’ve come to his personal house but it would be wrong to call it a house. It’s more like a shaahi mahal.” She admired the grandeur, adding, “Maharaj ji, you have built an entire city for yourself.” To this, Ramdev replied, “Like
Mahatma Gandhi had his Sabarmati Ashram, this is my tapassvi kutiya. I have built this palace for people, but I continue to live in a jhopdi.”
Farah Khan makes a lighthearted comparison with
Salman KhanThe playful conversation took a turn when Farah Khan likened Ramdev to Salman Khan, commenting that Salman “lives in a 1BHK but builds palaces for others.” Ramdev then proudly showed her both his old and new jhopdis, adding with a smile, “This one is a bit more stylish.” Farah admired the stone structure and jokingly requested, “Baba, please gift me such jhopdis.” Ramdev explained, “This is made of stones from Jodhpur. No chemicals have been used to build them.”
Fragrance of Devdaru wood and prized Kamandal
Khan observed a sandalwood-like scent inside, which Baba Ramdev clarified was from devdaru wood, gently correcting her when she mistook “daru” for alcohol. She found the rustic bedroom charming, noting it’s reserved for spiritually esteemed guests. Ramdev then unveiled his cherished kamandal, valued at Rs 1 lakh. Farah humorously remarked, “Ameesha Patel, are you watching? This is the bag you need to get!”
Simplicity in lifestyle and meditation schedule
Baba Ramdev shared that despite all the comforts available around him, he chooses to sleep on a simple mat placed on the floor—a practice he has followed for three decades. He explained, “I joined Gurukul at 14, bringing bhiksha for nearly 40 people. Since then, sleeping on the ground and living simply has been my way.” Farah was surprised that he preferred sleeping on the floor even when he had a spacious bedroom. Ramdev added that his day starts at 3 am with meditation lasting 10 to 12 hours. He remarked, “You must be going to sleep at 3.” To that, Farah laughed and said, “No, I go to bed early and wake up at 6 am.”
Shiv Puja ritual and playful exchange
Guiding her upstairs to a Shiv Puja room above his jhopdi, Baba Ramdev recited a Sanskrit shloka that deeply moved Farah. She expressed, “You gave me goosebumps! If I was judging Indian Idol, I would say, ‘Aap Mumbai aa rahe hain.’” Ramdev teased her, calling her “dangerous” and remarked, “She takes people away and then they never return.” Farah laughed and replied, “You make me sound like a serial killer.”
Tour of garden, goushala and Patanjali Institute
Baba Ramdev took her on a tour through his garden filled with fragrant flowers, then drove her to a goushala (cow shed) in a ₹1-crore Defender. The visit also included the vast Patanjali Institute. When sharing about his school, Ramdev said, “Students between the age 3-15 study here.” Farah curiously inquired, “So is this a Hindi medium school?” Ramdev clarified, “It is a Sanskrit medium school, where we teach our students 10 different languages including French, and Mandarin.”
Massive kitchen and satvik dish ATM
The group then headed to an enormous kitchen that serves nearly 50,000 meals every day. Baba Ramdev mentioned, “We have 25 kitchens on this property.” He prepared a special satvik dish named ATM made from Aloe Vera, Turmeric, and Methi. When Farah tasted it, she winced, saying, “It’s tasty but extremely bitter. I’ll treat it like medicine. But will this make me beautiful?” Ramdev assured her, “For 100 years.” Laughing, Farah said, “Then I’ll eat this every day!”