Akharas At Simhastha Kumbha Mela 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 Akharas came its existence in 8th century AD. They were established by Adi Shankaracharya and back then were seven in number: Mahanirvani, Niranjani, Juna, Atal, Avahan, Agni and Anand Akhara. 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 Vaishnava Akhara, those who worship Lord ShIva come under Shaiva Akhara 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 Kumbha Mela witnesses the election of this five member governing body. They are elected for a period of four years. The Juna Akhara (in terms of number of saints) is the biggest Akhara. Every Akhara is headed by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar, followed by Mahamandaleshwars, Mandaleshwaras and Shree Mahants. During the holy bath at the Kumbha Mela, 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 Shahi Snan.

Detail Of Akharas

Sr. No	Akhara’s Name	Contact Person	Head Office
1	Shri Panchayati Taponidhi Akhara	Shri Mahant Laltagiriji Maharaj (Sachiv)	Mahant Shri Vishwanath Giri ji Niranjani Akhara, Badnagar Road, Ujjain
		Shri Panchayati Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara
		Mayapur Haridwar, (Uttaranchal)
		Shri Mahant Ramanand puri ji Maharaj (Sachiv)
		Shri Panchayati Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara
		Mayapur Haridwar, (Uttaranchal)
2	Shri Panchayati Anand Akhara	Shri Mahant Sagaranand ji Maharaj
		Shri Panchayati Anand Akhara
		Trayambkeshwar, Distt. Nasik, Maharashtra
3	Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara	Shri Mahant Parmanand ji Saraswati (Sabhapati)	Peer Mahant Ramgiri Pratinidhi Rameshwar Giri Datta Akhara, Ujjain
		Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara, Bada Hanuman
		Ghat Kashi, Varanasi (U.P.)
		Shravannath Nagar Haridwar
		Shri Mahant Uma Shankar Bharti Ji Maharaj, (Sachiv)
		Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara, Bada Hanuman
		Ghat Kashi, Varanasi (U.P.)
		Shri Mahant PremGiriji Maharaj, (Sachiv)
		Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara, Bada Hanuman
		Ghat Kashi, Varanasi (U.P.)
		Shri Mahant ji Maharaj (Sachiv)
		Mayadevi Bhairav Akhara Haridwar (Uttaranchal)
		Kankeshwari Devi Ashram
		Shri Mahant Surendra Giri Ji, Maharaj (Sachiv)	Peer Mahant Ramgiri Pratinidhi Rameshwar Giri Datta Akhara, Ujjain
		Mayadevi Bhairav Akhara Haridwar (Uttaranchal)
4	Shri Panchdashnaami Avahan Akhara	Shri Mahant Shiv Shankar Giri ji Maharaj (Sabhapati)	Pratinidhi : Shri RajShekhar Tripathi, Bada Sarafa, Ujjain
		Shri Panchdashnaami Aavhan Akhara
		Ashwamedh Ghat, Kashi Varanasi (U.P.)
		Shri Mahant Prem Puri ji Maharaj (Sachiv)
		Shri Panchdashnami Avahan Akhara
		Ashwamedh Ghat, Kashi Varanasi (U.P.)
5	Shri Panch Agni Akhara	Shri Mahant Gopalanand Ji Maharaj (Sabhapati)	Mahant Shri Sudamanand Ji Rajrajeshwar Hanuman Mandir, Pool k niche, Sindhiya Dharmshala k paas, Ujjain
		Shri Panch Agni Akhara, Shambhupanch Agni
		Akhara, Mu.Po. Bilkha, Junagadh (Sourashtra)
		Gujrat
		Shri Mahant Govindanand Ji Maharaj (Sachiv)
		Shri Panch Agni Akhara, Shambhupanch Agni
		Akhara, Mu.Po. Bilkha, Junagadh (Sourashtra)
		Gujrat
6	Shri Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara	Shri Mahant Prakashpuri Ji Maharaj (Sachiv)	Shri Mahant Prakashpuri Ji Maharaj (Sachiv), Shri Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara
		Shri Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara,
		Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)
7	Shri Panch Atal Akhara	Shri Mahant Rajgiriji Maharaj, (Sabhapati)	Mahant Shri Premgiri ji Maharaj
		Shri Shankargiri ji Maharaj, (Sachiv)
		Shri Panch Atal Akhara
		Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)
8	Udasin Akhare		Pratinidhi : Shyamdas ji Maharaj
	Shri Panchayati Bada Udasin Akhara	Shri Mahant Raghumuni ji Maharaj
		Shri Panchayati Bada Udasin Akhara
		Ram Ghat Ujjain
9	Shri Panchayati Udasin Naya Akhara	Shri Mahant Manohardas ji Maharaj, (President)	Shri Jagtar Muni, Mod Dharmshala k Paas, Ramghat, Ujjain (Jakhira Prabandhak)
		Shri Panchayati Udasin Naya Akhara,
		Kankhal, Haridwar (Uttaranchal)
		Kankeshwari Ashram
		Ashok Nagar Gujrat
10	Shri Panchayati Nirmal Akhara	Shri Mahant Gyandev Ji Maharaj	Shri Darshan Singh ji, Nirmal Akhara, Badhnagar Road, Ujjain
		Shri Panchayati Nirmal Akhara
		Kankhal Haridwar Uttaranchal
11	Bairagi Akhade	Shri Mahant Shivnandandas Ji Maharaj	Mahant Shri Sudhir Pujari, Sansthan Shri Kalika Mandir, Panchwati Nasik Sthaniya: Mahant Shri Bhagwandas ji Beghampura Ujjain.
	(Ramadal Vaishnav)	Shri Panchramanandaye Nirvani Ani Akhara,
	Shri Panchramanandaye	Shri Bihariji Mandir Barana Bamori
	Nirvani Ani Akhara	Distt. Tikamgadh (M.P.)
		Shri Mahantdas Ji Maharaj	Mahant Shri Premdas ji, Khaki Akhara, Khak Chowk Ankpat Ujjain
		Shri Panchramanandaye Nirvani Ani Akhara,
		Hanumangarhi Ayodhya (U.P.)
		Shri Mahant Jagannathdasji Maharaj,	Mahant Shri Premdas ji, Khaki Akhara, Khak Chowk Ankpat Ujjain
		Khaki Akhara (Nirvani Ani), Lambe Hanuman
		Mandir Lambe Hanuman Road Railway Station k paas,
		Surat Gujrat
12	Shri Panch Digambar Ani Akhara	Shri Mahant Keshavdas ji Maharaj	Mahant Shri Kanhaiyadas ji Ankpat Road, Ujjain
		Shri Panch Digambar Ani Akhara
		(Digambar Akhara) Ayodhya U.P.	Mahant Shri Bhagwandas ji, Beghampura Ujjain
		Shri Rambela Math Shastri Marg Dungarpur
		Rajesthan
13	Shri Panchramanandiya Nirmohi Ani Akhara	Shri Mahant Ram Ashraydas ji Maharaj	Mahant Shri Raghuveerdas ji, Khak Chowk Ujjain
		Shri Panchramanandiya Nirmohi Ani Akhara
		Nirmohi Akhara, Ramghat Chitrakoot,	Mahant Shri Bhagwandas ji Beghampura Ujjain
		Distt. Banda (U.P.)

Detail Of Akharas Table Source:-

http://www.simhasthujjain.in/about-simhasth/akhara-details/#sthash.v5NKuyE4.dpuf

AUTHOR: Priyal Matreja