Hindu seer akharas
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A backgrounder
Avaneesh Mishra, Nov 4, 2021: The Indian Express
The word 'akhara' literally means a wrestling arena, and the akhara system is believed to have been started by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD to prepare a warrior class that could fight for Hinduism.
The Indian Express explains what are the akharas, the significance they hold, and the role, structure and duties of the Akhara Parishad.
History of Akharas and Akhara Parishad
The word ‘akhara’ literally means a wrestling arena, and the akhara system is believed to have been started by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD to prepare a warrior class that could fight for Hinduism against foreign invaders. The reason behind creating a force of monks and seers was that they would not have a family of their own, and hence would not be weakened by materialistic desires.
Initially, there were four akharas, but their numbers increased with time. As of now, there are officially 13 akharas divided by their belief systems. The Sanyasi sampradaya has seven akharas – Juna Akhara, Avahan Akhara, Agni Akhara, Niranjani Akhara, Anand Akhara, Nirvani Akhara and Atal Akhara. The Vaishnao sampradaya has three akharas, namely Nirmohi Akhara, Digambar Akhara and Nirvani Ani Akhara. There are three akharas which worship Guru Nanak Dev – Bada Udasin Akhara, Naya Udasin Akhara and Nirmal Akhara.
In 1954, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad was established with the main aim of organising and managing the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious congregation in the world attended by millions of Hindus. Another duty of the ABAP is to promote coordination between different akharas and settle disputes between them.
Roles and duties
In the present day, according to Mahant Ravindra Puri of Niranjani Akhara who was declared ABAP president by one faction, the akharas have the responsibility of leading religious and intellectual battles without using any weapon, and guiding the society.
Being the highest body of Hindu saints and seers, the ABAP and individual akharas have influence in the society, and are generally vocal about day-to-day social issues. The ABAP is an independent body with its own set of rules. While the ABAP does not participate in electoral politics, in the recent past, it has openly supported the BJP.
On Monday, after his election, Mahant Puri of the Niranjani akhara made it clear that the outfit would support the saffron party. He said the ABAP will ensure Yogi Adityanath’s victory in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. “It is possible that if BJP does not come back to power in Uttar Pradesh, construction of the Ram temple [in Ayodhya] might stop,” he claimed.
Elections
All the akharas have a system of electing their president based on merit. For different akharas, the tenure of the president ranges from three to six years, after which a chief is elected with everyone’s consent. The akharas do not have a minimum or maximum age limit, and there have been instances where children have been appointed mahant based on their merit.
Election of the Akhara Parishad president, on the other hand, takes places by voting among all the 13 akharas. Some call it a tradition of the ABAP that if an office bearer of the parishad dies before completing his tenure, the post is transferred to someone of the same akhara. Another group, however, claims that as per rules, the ABAP president post is generally offered on rotation basis.
