The following photos are of Hanuman Das Baba of Vrindavan, who may be one of the oldest living saints on earth. Once I asked this Baba how old he was. He Replied he could not remember his age, but recalled that he was 12 years old when Jhansi Rani fought the British. You can deduce his age from that. Jhansi Rani fought the British in 1857, so he would be around 170 years old.
He mentioned to me that he had grown a second set of teeth after all of his teeth had fallen out, something that happens to some people after 100 years. I have seen and heard of some other babas who also grew second sets of teeth after 100 years.
When young, Hanuman Das Baba left his home and came to Vrindavan to become a devotee of Lord Krishna. He founded a wonderful goshala (cow sanctuary) there, where 1,000 cows are currently being served and protected. When he was a child, his mother was a servant of the queen of Jhansi, who died in 1858.
The ashram of this Baba is located along the Vrindavan parikrama path, a short distance from the Krishna Balarama Mandir. He stays in a tiny room, just a few feet wide. Whenever you visit Vrindavan, please take the opportunity to meet this rare living saint. You will be amazed by his simplicity and humility.
