Hindu- Sikh seer akharas
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully acknowledged in your name.
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents[hide] |
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.
Sikh akharas
Mahakumbh, 2025
Raakhi Jagga, Feb 14, 2025: The Indian Express
At the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, a nagar kirtan accompanied by a gurbani kirtan and a gatka performance was organised on January 11, marking the presence of the Nirmla Akhara, one of the three Sikh-related akharas (spiritual orders) that are part of the world’s largest religious gathering.
Many Sikh followers visit the three akharas and take holy dips at the sangam, according to Nirmal Akhara followers in Punjab. The other Sikh-related akharas are the Bada (large) Udaseen Akhara and the Naya (new) Udaseen Akhara. Udaseen means neutral.
These akharas follow the teachings of Guru Nanak and are guided by the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism. The Udaseen Akhara was established by Baba Sri Chand, son of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Guru of Sikhs. The Nirmala Akhara has centres in various parts of Punjab and elsewhere in the country. The sadhus here revere Hindu scriptures—such as the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads—as well as the Guru Granth Sahib. Although the akharas bid farewell to the Mahakumbh on February 3, the Kumbh Mela will continue until February 26.
On January 29, Harnam Singh Dhumma, chief of Damdami Taksal, an organisation that teaches Sikh faith, visited the Mahakumbh to take a holy dip. He said that certain Sikh traditions, particularly those belonging to the Udaseen and Nirmala Akharas, participate in the Kumbh.
Dhumma was invited by both akharas and the Uttar Pradesh government, as he said Damdami Taksal holds significant value and has no animosity towards any religion. As the Sikh Youth Federation (Bhindranwale) objected to his visit, Dhumma also said that Sikh gurus had visited Prayagraj and Kashi.
Navtej Singh Namdhari from the Namdhari sect of Sikhs said, “Guru Gobind Singhji had sent Sikhs to Kashi to study and they were called Nirmale—the highly educated Sikhs. So Nirmala Akhara represents those followers.” He added that the Namdhari sect had also set up a shivir at the Mahakumbh and that several devotees from Namdhari sect have taken holy dips.
Many devotees from Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country have visited all the 13 akharas, said Suba Amrik Singh, also from the Namdhari sect, emphasising the need to understand the history of Sikh akharas. The Sikhs organised a langar at the Mahakumbh from January 13 to February 6, just as they did during the pran pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya last year, he added.
In 2013, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee set up a stall at the Allahabad (now Prayagraj) Kumbh Mela, featuring literature related to Sikhism in Hindi and Punjabi, along with a photo exhibition and a langar. At that time, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar faced criticism but he said the critics need to study history first.
