ALLAHABAD: Juna Akhara, probably the most oldest and biggest of the rustic's 13 akharas, will ordain 221 Dalit ladies as ' sanyasins' (ascetics) and 300 Dalit men as ' sanyasis' all the way through Kumbh-2019. Of those, five ladies shall be made ' mahamandaleshwar' before Mauni Amavasya.
Scores of Dalits, including 500 ladies ' sanyasins', across the nation are already contributors of the Juna Akhara. Besides, the akhara also boasts of eight Dalit seers, including 3 ladies, who have already been ordained as ' mahamandaleshwars'. In April, the akhara had made Kanhaiya alias Shivanand Giri its first Dalit ' sanyasi'. Now, it'll raise him as ' mahamandaleshwar' all the way through subsequent yr's Kumbh.
"The akhara, which has around 75 lakh members across the country, will ordain 221 Dalit women as ' sanyasins' during the upcoming Kumbh . Of these, five would be made ' mahamandaleshwar' (considered to be a high position in akhara tradition) before Mauni Amavasya," stated Mahant Hari Giri, leader patron of Juna Akhara.
"In the coronation ceremony, the members will shave off their hair and accept ' diksha' amid chanting of Vedic mantras by the head of the akhara. The ' sanyasi' will thereafter perform their own ' pind daan' (a ritual done after the death of a person), signifying that they are now beyond worldly desires. Each one of them will be then handed over a ' dand' (a ritualistic decorative stick)," he stated, including that a similar rite could be held for ' mahamandaleshwars'.
"At a time when politicians have divided society on the lines of caste and community to be used as vote-bank, the akhara wants to highlight that not birth but deed decides a person's caste," the mahant stated.
Scores of Dalits, including 500 ladies ' sanyasins', across the nation are already contributors of the Juna Akhara. Besides, the akhara also boasts of eight Dalit seers, including 3 ladies, who have already been ordained as ' mahamandaleshwars'. In April, the akhara had made Kanhaiya alias Shivanand Giri its first Dalit ' sanyasi'. Now, it'll raise him as ' mahamandaleshwar' all the way through subsequent yr's Kumbh.
"The akhara, which has around 75 lakh members across the country, will ordain 221 Dalit women as ' sanyasins' during the upcoming Kumbh . Of these, five would be made ' mahamandaleshwar' (considered to be a high position in akhara tradition) before Mauni Amavasya," stated Mahant Hari Giri, leader patron of Juna Akhara.
"In the coronation ceremony, the members will shave off their hair and accept ' diksha' amid chanting of Vedic mantras by the head of the akhara. The ' sanyasi' will thereafter perform their own ' pind daan' (a ritual done after the death of a person), signifying that they are now beyond worldly desires. Each one of them will be then handed over a ' dand' (a ritualistic decorative stick)," he stated, including that a similar rite could be held for ' mahamandaleshwars'.
"At a time when politicians have divided society on the lines of caste and community to be used as vote-bank, the akhara wants to highlight that not birth but deed decides a person's caste," the mahant stated.
Five Dalit women to be mahamandaleshwars
![Five Dalit women to be mahamandaleshwars]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 16, 2018
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