Every time at the Kumbha Melas many people denounce their worldly life and select the path of spiritual enqiry. This year also around 10,000 of people are joining the ‘Akharas’.
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), apex body of the country’s akharas -sect of seers-, said that over 10,000 men and women are taking deeksha (initiation) and becoming Naga sadhus this Kumbh. Of these, around 1100 were initiated by the Juna akhara, largest of the 13 akharas in the country last Sunday. The Juna akhara has planned a few more mass initiations this month as have other major akharas like Niranjani and Mahanirvani.
According to Mahant Hari Giri, chief convener of Juna akhara and general secretary of ABAP, the initiation ceremonies are held only during the Kumbh, and the number of those being initiated is “in the thousands on every occasion.”
As for the backgrounds of those becoming Nagas, he says, “Any person who has a strong desire for detachment irrespective of caste, colour or religion is eligible to become a Naga. Many Muslims have been accepted to have several Christians and people from other religions. So have people who have earlier been doctors or engineers.”
Once accepted by the akhara, the path to becoming initiated is a tough one. “We test aspirants for years to conclude whether they are here to stay or have just decided to become a sadhu either due to a whim or after a crisis in life. Only when they prove themselves after being put through rigorous tests, and we are satisfied, are they ordained as a Naga,” says Giri.
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