J'khand Guv calls Rajini 'one of India's greatest actors'

RANCHI: Superstar Rajinikanth, who is visiting Jharkhand, on Thursday spent an hour meditating at Yagoda ashram in Ranchi. On the previous day, he had held a ''courtesy meeting'' with Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan here upon his arrival from Uttarakhand.

Rajinikanth, a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, the author of 'Autobiography of a Yogi', meditated at his guru's ashram -- Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS), which is headquartered in Ranchi.

The southern superstar reached Ranchi from Dwarahat in Uttarakhand where he had meditated at a cave in Pandavkholi.

''This morning he meditated for about an hour in Yoganandji's room at Yogoda's ashram in Ranchi. In this meditation here he felt unique peace and divinity. After meditation, he met and had spiritual onsultations with senior swamis of Yogoda,'' according to an ashram official.

''The visit to Yogoda Ashram was a part of his spiritual pilgrimage. Being a disciple of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, a regular practitioner of Kriya Yoga , he came to Ranchi after visiting Yogoda's Dwarahat Ashram in Uttarakhand and meditation in Mahavatar Babaji's cave,'' the ashram official said.

After meditating in Ranchi, Rajinikanth visited the famed Chinnamastika temple at Rajrappa in adjoining Ramgarh district.

Priests of the temple, which is located around 70 km from state capital on the confluence of Bhairavi and Damodar rivers, assisted the superstar perform special 'aarti' and prayers.

Meanwhile, the governor, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday said about his meeting with Rajinikanth, ''On his arrival in Ranchi, delighted and very happy to meet my dear friend, one of India's greatest Actors and great Human Being Superstar Shri. @rajinikanth Ji at Raj Bhavan yesterday on a courtesy meet. I heartily welcome him to the great land of Jharkhand.'' Rajinikanth had last week visited Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand days after the release of his latest film 'Jailer'.

Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, 'Jailer' hit the screens worldwide on August 10. Box office figures of the film have not been disclosed by production banner Sun Pictures. It also features Vinayakan and Ramya Krishnan. He is also acting in a series of two films -- 'Thalaivar 170' and 'Thalaivar 171'.