Juna Akhara, Allahabad
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Juna Akhara
From: Baba Rampuri
With more than 400,000 sannyasi members, Juna Akhara is by far the largest order of sadhus in India, today, the vast majority are Naga Babas. They have been called the defenders of the Sanatan Dharma. The word Naga, in this case, is derived from the Sanskrit word, nagna, meaning “naked.” And indeed Naga Babas are known for marching naked, covered with ashes, during the colorful sacred bathing rites at the Kumbh Mela.
History of Juna Akhara
According to Oral Tradition and its derived texts, such as Vidyaranya’s “Sankaradigvijaya,” in the 5th century B.C., India’s greatest philosopher and commentator on sacred texts, Adi Sankara, organized the Brahmanical lineages of sadhus, yogis and shamans into India’s first monastic order, the Order of the Sannyasis of the Ten Names (Dashnami Sannyasi Sampradaya) which exists until this day. Adi Sankara founded four great mathas, monasteries, in the four corners of India, in each of which he established one of his four primary disciples, Padmapada (Govardhan Math in Orissa), Sureshvaracharya (Sringeri Sarada Math in Kerala), Hastamalakacharya (Dwarka Math in Gujarat), and Totakacharya (Jyotir Math in the Himalayas).
From these four shishyas, disciples, and the corresponding mathas sprung ten names, Puri, Giri, Bharti, Saraswati, Tirtha, Ban, Aranya, Sagar, Parvat, and Ashram. All of the lineages, that spread like the branches of a tree, are attached at their roots to one of these ten names.
In the 7th century A.D., 52 lineages within the Order of Sannyasis formalized their age-old network into an elite brotherhood, a society, that was known originally as Dattatreya Akhara, then Bhairon Akhara, and after other new akharas were formed, it simply became known as Juna Akhara, the “old” akhara (as juna means “old” in Gujarati Language), or the “Ancient Circle”.
Administration of Juna Akhara
Juna Akhara does not resemble modern religious or spiritual organizations in their linear or pyramidal infrastructure.
Juna Akhara is a traditional society in which the sadhu families of the 52 lineages are represented by their acknowledged elders in a grand council of the akhara, which in turn is represented by elected Secretaries and a Sabhapati (President). Once elected to any position, the appointment is for life.
The decisions of the greater and ruling councils have to do with the operation of the society as a whole, not with the functioning or behaviour of a lineage, family, or individual. All matters are divided into two main categories, “samaj“, dealing with the society as a whole affecting all, and “ghar”, that which relates to a sadhu family. These council members are all Naga Babas.
The elections and initiations take place during a Kumbh Mela, which gives great significance to this event for Naga Sadhus. Juna Akhara also elects a Shri Ramta Panch, a roving authority of the akhara, who protects and worships the ishta devata of the akhara, the ever-roving Guru Dattatreya. At each Kumbh Mela, each of the 4 marhis, the divisions of the akhara according to the Ten Names, corresponding to the 4 Mathas, elects a Shri Mahant (the authority of the Marhi), Ashtakosul Mahant (his leutenant), Pujari (for making rites and rituals), Bhandari (who keeps the supplies), and Kothari (who keeps the books), who along with other Naga Babas accompany Guru Dattatreya as He traditionally walks from one Kumbh Mela to the next. The Marhi also hosts the Viraja Havan, the Sannyas initiation, during the Kumbh Melas. I write about Juna Akhara in my autobiographical novel, Autobiography of a Sadhu – an Angrez among Naga Babas.
H.H. Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj is the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar (chief religious authority) of the Juna Akhara, appointed in 1998.
A great yogi, a scholar, and a well-recognized authority on Vedanta, Swami Avdheshanand relates equally to his two worlds, that of the Naga Sanyassis, who he initiates, and that of an international public he serves with spiritual discourses, teachings, and a number of social projects ranging from hospitals to water harvesting.
In addition to his position as Head Trustee of the Acharya Mahasabha, the organization of all of India’s traditional religious leaders, he is a member of the World Council of Religious Leaders, he has appeared at the United Nations on many occasions, and he is a close friend of the Dalai Lama.
H.H. Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj was made the Acharya or Spiritual preceptor of the prestigious and acclaimed Sri Panch Dasnaam Juna Akhara, designating him as PRIME SAINT in 1998 at the Haridwar Maha Kumbh. Thousands of saints across India and elsewhere have been initiated by the Acharya, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdeshanand Giri Ji.
Ashram
Eco-friendly ashram
Kumbh: Juna Akhara saint's eco-friendly ashram, February 15, 2013: News18
The ashram's theme is eco-friendly so the walls have been plastered with cow dung, mud and medicinal plants.
Maha Kumbh is an amalgamation of the varied colours of India. Acharya Mahamandleshwar Awadhesha Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhara has designed his ashram at the Maha Kumbh in an eco-friendly manner even though it is no less than a five-star retreat.
The ashram has been constructed near the banks of Ganga in Allahabad and has many high tech facilities in it. It has been decorated with very expensive chandeliers, a huge residential colony have been set up for the devotees. There is also a cafeteria and medical facilities along with doctors round the clock are also available. The security is also very tight.
The ashram's theme is eco-friendly so the walls have been plastered with cow dung, mud and medicinal plants, according to Acharya Mahamandleshwar Awadhesha Giri Maharaj. The ashram is Vaastu compliant and the aim is to give a message to the people to help conserve the environment.
The ashram has been made using weeds and grass but its interior is very luxurious. Gujarat-based Malini Doshi, who is Acharya's disciple, and 10 other workers constructed the ashram and gave it the high tech look. The ashram has been decorated with the pictures used in the Kutch region, which make the structure look very lively and colourful. The ashram does not use any thing which can harm the environment.
Vegetables are grown at the ashram and used for making prasad. There is also a community kitchen for the devotees and menu is changed every day. The ashram has separate sitting arrangements for the saints, devotees and for VIPs.
History
2013: entry of foreigners banned
Piyush Srivastava, India Today
The foreigners who were eagerly waiting for 2013 Kumbh Mela in Allahabad would be discouraged from entering an Akhara, the place where the Hindu renunciates live. This strange decision has been taken by Juna Akhara, one of the oldest mutts of Naga sadhus.
"This verdict was passed by a majority of sadhus of Juna Akhara because we have noticed in recent years that the foreigners were trying to pollute the atmosphere of our mutts. They bring drugs and liquor to lure our sadhus. This gives a bad name to the mutts. So we have expelled three sadhus from our Akhara and took a decision in a meeting in Haridwar on Thursday that the foreigners would be prohibited from entering our akhara in Kumbh Mela," said Mahant Prem Giri, general secretary of Juna Akhara.
"It also happens that some sadhus who don't value Hindu morals, lure the western women and exploit them. This is the reason that we decided to prevent their frequent contacts in the Akhara," said Mahant Parshuram Giri, another sadhu of Juna Akhara.
He recalled that a Naga sadhu Narayan Giri of Juna Akhara had cheated many foreign women. He had married two Italian women in 2001 without telling them that he was already married.
"He used to live at Kedar Ghat in Varanasi and cheat foreign women who used to visit the place in search of peace and salvation. He even went to Italy with one of the women. But she deserted him after knowing that he had earlier duped other women by marrying them. There are many other sadhus also in the akharas who are hardly involved in religious work but they keep trapping foreigners. So we believe that the ban on foreigners in our Akhara is an apt decision," said Mahant Prem Giri.
Mahant Mahendra Giri, a sadhu of Nirwani Akhara, said, "We welcome the decision of Juna Akhara because they are facing problems due to foreigners. But it doesn't mean that we don't want the foreigners in Kumbh Mela. They are free to visit the congregation and explore their religious curiosities. They are our guests and we respect their sentiment. I also believe that the other Akharas don't need to take a similar decision if their sadhus are disciplined renunciates and follow religious and social ethics."
The monks, saints
2018: Scheduled caste sadhu ordained as ‘Mahamandaleshwar’
HIGHLIGHTS
For the first time in the history of the Juna Akhara, a Dalit sanyasi will be designated “Mahamandaleshwar”
The32-year-old Kanhaiya Kumar Kashyap, was rechristened Kanhaiya Shivanand Giri after his “diksha” ceremony.
Juna Akhara is considered by many to be the largest and oldest order of sadhus in India.
For the first time in the history of the Juna Akhara — considered by many to be the largest and oldest order of sadhus in India — a Dalit sanyasi will be designated “Mahamandaleshwar”, an influential position in the order, at Kumbh 2019.
The seer, 32-year-old Kanhaiya Kumar Kashyap, was rechristened Kanhaiya Shivanand Giri after his “diksha” ceremony.
This is not the first time a Dalit religious scholar has been given “diksha” by the head of an akhara.
Niranjani Akhara had included a Dalit in its higher echelons at the last Kumbh in Ujjain. But Shivanand’s inclusion in Juna Akhara is significant and marks yet another turn in the remarkable life of a man who was denied entry into a Sanskrit seminary because of his caste.
Undeterred, he earned a “Jyotishacharya” degree from Chandigarh-based Bharatiya Jyotish Vigyan Kendra before joining Juna Akhara.
‘Denied entry to Pathsala since he was non-Brahmin’
Juna Akhara follows the sanyasi tradition and is more inclusive than many akharas on caste issues.
Apart from Shivanand, two others were given “diksha” by Juna Akhara on Tuesday — Renu Sharma, who has been rechristened Sadhvi Durga Giri, and Amit Joshi, who will now be called Swami Tufan Giri. While the former was a student of music at Allahabad University, the latter has been associated with R-S-S and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
Shivanand rose swiftly through the ranks and was given the title of “Gosain” in 2016. Talking about his journey, Shivanand told TOI, “The authorities of Sanskrit Pathshala refused me admission as I was not a Brahmin, but I was determined since there aren’t any saints or gurus from my community.”
Asked about the impact of his becoming “Mahamandaleshwar”, Shivanand said, “With people like me, victims of thecaste system, being given such an important responsibility... the day will come when like casteism will end.”
