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Mahakumbh: Russian-Ukrainian women seers unite to spread Sanatan Dharma amidst war
“We are united in our mission to spread the Sanatan dharma. Nothing else matters,” said Giri, the Maha Mandaleshwar (high priest) of the Juna Akhara, who is in Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh-2025.
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In a powerful display of unity amid conflict, two women seers from Russia and Ukraine have set aside national differences to champion the values of Sanatan Dharma. Their extraordinary friendship, forged at the 2013 Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, has endured for over a decade, with the pair now working together to spread the teachings of peace, non-violence, and universal brotherhood. Despite the ongoing war between their countries, Swami Ananda Leela Giri of Russia and Elia of Ukraine remain united in their mission, embodying the unifying power of spirituality.
“We are united in our mission to spread the Sanatan dharma. Nothing else matters,” said Giri, the Maha Mandaleshwar (high priest) of the Juna Akhara, who is in Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh-2025.
Once a renowned fashion designer in Russia, known as Olga, Giri embraced the spiritual path 25 years ago, dedicating her life to the service of Sanatan Dharma. Although she does not speak Hindi or English, her friend Elia, a fellow saint from Ukraine, serves as her translator and trusted companion.
“After taking sanyas, we no longer remember our past,” Swami Ananda Leela Giri explained through Elia, her English-speaking translator.
The calling for Giri came in 1999, when she was 30 years old, inspired by her guru Vishnudevanandji Maharaj, the first Russian Mahamandaleshwar of the Shri Dasanaam Juna Akhada. By 2013, she had been ordained as the Maha Mandaleshwar of Juna Akhada, a significant milestone that coincided with the Kumbh Mela’s second shahi snan on Mauni Amavasya in Prayagraj.
It was here, at the banks of the Sangam during the 2013 Mahakumbh, that Giri and Elia first met. The connection was instant, rooted in their shared devotion to India’s rich spiritual heritage and the peaceful principles of Sanatan Dharma. “We both are deeply influenced by the thoughts and culture of India, especially the principles of peace and non-violence,” Elia shared. “Together, we have travelled far and wide, spreading the values of universal brotherhood and peace.”
This time, the two women are excited to participate in the Shahi Snans at the Mahakumbh-2025, alongside their fellow saints of Juna Akhara. On December 14, they were part of the grand ‘Chavni Pravesh’ procession, entering the mela area with grandeur and riding a chariot in the traditional display of Juna Akhara. Despite the difference in their seniority within the monastic order, their bond as friends remains unshaken, with both women seen helping each other in the procession.
