YOGA LIFE

AkharasAtSimhasthaKumbhaMela Ujjain

Different sectors of saints, vairaghis, and yogis are organised and belong to different akharas. “Akhara” basically means a wrestling area. It is believed that Akharascame its

existence in 8th century AD. They were established by AdiShankaracharya and back then were seven in number: Mahanirvani, Niranjani, Juna, Atal, Avahan, Agni and AnandAkhara.They were formed to strengthen the Hindu religion and unify devotees who practice various hindu rituals, customs and beliefs.

Presently, there are three major Akharas; Sanyasi, Bairagi and Nirmal and three minor: Atal, anand and Avahan. Akharas are further divided into different camps in accordance with the god they worship. Followers of Lord Vishnu come under Vairagi or VaishnavaAkhara, those who worship Lord ShIva come under ShaivaAkhara and the ones who follow Lord Brahma come under Kapalwasis.

According to some text, Akharas are further divided into eight davas and 52 marhis. Every marhi is lead by a Mahant and performs all the spiritual activities under him. Shree Panch (representing Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Shaktiand and Ganesha) forms the central administrative body of any Akhara. Every KumbhaMela witnesses the election of this five member governing body. They are elected for a period of four years. The JunaAkhara (in terms of number of saints) is the biggest Akhara. Every Akhara is headed by AcharyaMahamandaleshwar, followed by Mahamandaleshwars, Mandaleshwaras and Shree Mahants. During the holy bath at the KumbhaMela, the main bathing site is surrounded by saints on chariots and elephants who first take the holy dip in the sacred river, following which the devotees and ordinary visitors are allowed to go ahead with ShahiSnan.

Detail OfAkharas

Sr. No

Akhara’s Name Contact Person Head Office

1

ShriPanchayatiTaponidhiA khara

ShriMahantLaltagirijiMaha raj (Sachiv)

MahantShriVishwanathGirijiNiranj aniAkhara, Badnagar Road, Ujjain

ShriPanchayatiTaponidhiN iranjaniAkhara

MayapurHaridwar, (Uttaranchal)

ShriMahantRamanandpurij iMaharaj (Sachiv)

ShriPanchayatiTaponidhiN iranjaniAkhara

MayapurHaridwar, (Uttaranchal)

2

ShriPanchayatiAnandAkha ra

ShriMahantSagaranandjiM aharaj

ShriPanchayatiAnandAkha ra

Trayambkeshwar, Distt. Nasik, Maharashtra

3

ShriPanchdashnaamJunaA khara

ShriMahantParmanandjiSa raswati (Sabhapati)

Peer MahantRamgiriPratinidhiRamesh warGiriDattaAkhara, Ujjain

ShriPanchdashnaamJunaA khara, Bada Hanuman

GhatKashi, Varanasi (U.P.)

Shravannath Nagar Haridwar

ShriMahant Uma Shankar BhartiJiMaharaj, (Sachiv)

ShriPanchdashnaamJunaA khara, Bada Hanuman

GhatKashi, Varanasi (U.P.)

ShriMahantPremGirijiMah araj, (Sachiv)

ShriPanchdashnaamJunaA khara, Bada Hanuman

GhatKashi, Varanasi (U.P.)

ShriMahantjiMaharaj (Sachiv)

MayadeviBhairavAkharaH aridwar (Uttaranchal)

Kankeshwari Devi Ashram

ShriMahantSurendraGiriJi, Maharaj (Sachiv) Peer

MahantRamgiriPratinidhiRamesh warGiriDattaAkhara, UjjainMayadeviBhairavAkharaH

aridwar (Uttaranchal)

4ShriPanchdashnaamiAvah anAkhara

ShriMahant Shiv Shankar GirijiMaharaj (Sabhapati)

Pratinidhi : ShriRajShekharTripathi, BadaSarafa, Ujjain

ShriPanchdashnaamiAavh anAkhara

AshwamedhGhat, Kashi Varanasi (U.P.)

ShriMahantPremPurijiMah araj (Sachiv)

ShriPanchdashnamiAvaha

nAkhara

AshwamedhGhat, Kashi Varanasi (U.P.)

5

ShriPanch Agni AkharaShriMahantGopalanandJiM aharaj (Sabhapati)

MahantShriSudamanandJiRajrajes hwarHanuman Mandir, Pool k niche, SindhiyaDharmshala k paas, Ujjain

ShriPanch Agni Akhara, Shambhupanch Agni

Akhara, Mu.Po. Bilkha, Junagadh (Sourashtra)

Gujrat

ShriMahantGovindanandJi Maharaj (Sachiv)

ShriPanch Agni Akhara, Shambhupanch Agni

Akhara, Mu.Po. Bilkha, Junagadh (Sourashtra)

Gujrat

6

ShriPanchayatiMahanirvan iAkhara

ShriMahantPrakashpuriJi Maharaj (Sachiv)

ShriMahantPrakashpuriJiMaharaj (Sachiv), ShriPanchayatiMahanirvaniAkhar a

ShriPanchayatiMahanirvan iAkhara,

Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)

7

ShriPanchAtalAkharaShriMahantRajgirijiMahara j, (Sabhapati)

MahantShriPremgirijiMaharajShriShankargirijiMaharaj, (Sachiv)

ShriPanchAtalAkhara

Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)

8

UdasinAkhare

Pratinidhi : ShyamdasjiMaharajShriPanchayatiBadaUdasin Akhara

ShriMahantRaghumunijiM aharaj

ShriPanchayatiBadaUdasin Akhara

Ram Ghat Ujjain

9

ShriPanchayatiUdasinNaya Akhara

ShriMahantManohardasjiM aharaj, (President)

ShriJagtar Muni, Mod Dharmshala k Paas, Ramghat, Ujjain (JakhiraPrabandhak)

ShriPanchayatiUdasinNaya Akhara,

Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)

Kankeshwari Ashram

Ashok Nagar Gujrat

10

ShriPanchayatiNirmalAkha ra

ShriMahantGyandevJiMaha raj

ShriDarshan Singh ji, NirmalAkhara, Badhnagar Road, Ujjain

ShriPanchayatiNirmalAkha ra

KankhalHaridwar Uttaranchal

11

BairagiAkhadeShriMahantShivnandandas JiMaharaj MahantShriSudhirPujari,

SansthanShriKalikaMandir, Panchwati Nasik Sthaniya: MahantShriBhagwandasjiBeghamp ura Ujjain.

(RamadalVaishnav)ShriPanchramanandayeNir vaniAniAkhara,

ShriPanchramanandayeShriBiharijiMandirBarana Bamori

NirvaniAniAkhara Distt. Tikamgadh (M.P.)

ShriMahantdasJiMaharaj

MahantShriPremdasji, Khaki Akhara, KhakChowkAnkpat Ujjain

ShriPanchramanandayeNir vaniAniAkhara,

HanumangarhiAyodhya (U.P.)

ShriMahantJagannathdasji Maharaj,

MahantShriPremdasji, Khaki Akhara, KhakChowkAnkpat Ujjain

Khaki Akhara (NirvaniAni), Lambe Hanuman

MandirLambe Hanuman Road Railway Station k paas,

SuratGujrat

12

ShriPanchDigambarAniAk hara

ShriMahantKeshavdasjiMa haraj

MahantShriKanhaiyadasjiAnkpat Road, Ujjain

ShriPanchDigambarAniAk hara

(DigambarAkhara) Ayodhya U.P.

MahantShriBhagwandasji, Beghampura Ujjain

ShriRambela Math ShastriMargDungarpur

Rajesthan

13

ShriPanchramanandiyaNir mohiAniAkhara

ShriMahant Ram AshraydasjiMaharaj

MahantShriRaghuveerdasji, KhakChowk UjjainShriPanchramanandiyaNir

mohiAniAkhara

NirmohiAkhara, MahantShriBhagwandasjiBeghamp

RamghatChitrakoot, ura Ujjain

Distt. Banda (U.P.)

Tags: Agni Akhara, Akharas in UjjainKumbh, Avahan, JunaAkhara, Mahamandleshwar, MahanirvaniAkhara, NirmalAkhar as,NirvaniAkhara

AUTHOR: PriyalMatreja