Dhirendra Krishna Shastri (full name: Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Garg) was born on 4 July 1996 in the modest village of Gada (Gada-Ganj), Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh. Raised in a Saryuparin Brahmin family with a priestly tradition, his early years were marked by hardship. His father, Ram Kripal Garg, served as a priest, while his mother, Saroj Garg, supported the family under difficult circumstances. Young Dhirendra began joining his grandfather’s spiritual gatherings at just nine years old and soon earned recognition for narrating devotional kathas himself.
Early Life & Family of Dhirendra Shastri
- Birth Name: Dhirendra Krishna Shastri (Garg), born 4 July 1996, Gada village, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh
- Parents: Ram Kripal Garg (father), Saroj Garg (mother)
- Early Struggles: Grew up in poverty, in a kutcha house, often hungry and facing financial hardship.
These conditions fueled his spiritual yearning, eventually leading him to take over the spiritual mantle from his grandfather who had renovated the original Balaji temple and founded the Bageshwar Dham itself.
Spiritual Journey & Guru
Under the guidance of his grandfather guru, Bhagwan Das Garg (also referred to as Sannyasi Baba), Dhirendra Krishna Dhirendra Shastri inherited the role of Peethadhishwar becoming the third-generation head of Bageshwar Dham Sarkar. He later came under the influence of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, through whom he deepened his devotion and scriptural knowledge.
Temple & Teachings
As the chief of Bageshwar Dham, a Hanuman temple in Gada village, Chhatarpur, Dhirendra Shastri oversees a thriving spiritual hub. He conducts Divya Darbar every Tuesday and Saturday spiritual events where followers believe he offers healing and guidance, with devotees often attributing these abilities to divine blessings rather than his own.
His social initiatives include:
- Annapurna Kitchen, feeding devotees daily free meals.
- Mass marriages for impoverished girls with full rituals and household essentials.
- Establishing a Vedic Gurukul to promote ancient learning and Sanskrit education.
- Plans for a cancer hospital, cow protection, and Bageshwar Gardens for environmental awareness.
Influence & Public Perception
Dhirendra Shastri reach has exploded across social media millions follow his sermons, shared across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TV channels. Devotees describe his powers to perceive inner thoughts and address personal problems without being told as also miraculous. Some point to his ability to read “parchas” (written prayers or problems) in advance as inexplicable.
But his rise hasn’t been without critics. Skeptics accuse him of promoting blind faith, question his signage targeting “Ram-wallahs vs Rahman-wallahs,” and call out controversial statements such as threatening bulldozers against critics and labeling non-participants of religious events as “anti-national”.
Legal heat has followed, too: a court notice was issued after he called those not attending the Maha Kumbh “traitors.” Additionally, an FIR was filed against a university professor who criticized him online, which was later upheld by authorities. Social media debates are fierce. Supporters say he revives temple service and helps the underprivileged; critics warn of pseudo-Christian-style performances and the dangers of unchecked charisma.
