A Holi with cow dung and urine for Naga sadhus in MP

Naga sadhus and seers from various ‘akhadas’ celebrated Holi in Ujjain with cow urine mixed with cow dung on Wednesday.

Published on: Mar 25, 2016, 16:16:46 IST

Hindustan Times | By Neeraj Santoshi, Bhopal

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Naga sadhus and seers from various ‘akhadas’ celebrated Holi in Ujjain with cow urine mixed with cow dung on Wednesday.

Sadhus play Holi in Ujjain with cow dung and cow urine on Wednesday. (HT photo)

Shaivite and Vaishnavite sadhus mixed cow dung and cow urine, poured it over one another and chanted religious slogans, said members of All India Akhada Parishad.

Ahead of the Simhastha fair starting on April 22, a significant number of sadhus and seers have already arrived in Ujjain.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri said cow dung is considered sacred and dear to Lord Krishna. “Sadhus have traditionally used cow urine and cow dung in various rituals,” he said.

Mahant Narendra Giri of Niranjani Akhada is the chief of the apex body of all 13 akhadas in India.

Mahant Hari Giri of Juna Akhada, general secretary of All India Akhada Parishad, said sadhus invoke blessings of Lord Ganesha during Kumbh festival by using cow dung and urine.

“According to Hindu tradition, we can’t have idols of deity all the time. So, sometimes people consider cow dung as the representation of Lord Ganesh. That is why we say ‘Gobar Ganesh’,” said Mahant Hari Giri.

Mahant Rajendra Das ji from Nirmohi Akhada said, “cow urine mixed with cow dung is an ‘aushadhi’ (medicine), a disinfectant and an antiseptic,” he said.

Sudeep Meena, assistant administrative officer, Mahakaleshwar temple, Ujjain and liasoning officer for Mahanirvani Akhada, said Mahant Narendra Giri has been trying to forge unity among various ‘akhadas’.

However, some seers had a different take on sadhus celebrating Holi. Mahant Dr Rameshwar Das from Khaki Akhada said ascetics should not celebrate Holi. “If they really wanted to celebrate Holi, they could have exchanged flowers. That would have saved a lot of water,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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