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Mahakumbh-2025 preparations: Maiden meeting of seers, Mela authority on July 8
The importance of the meeting can be gauged from the fact that the Akhadas have a special place in the formal events of each edition of the Kumbh and Mahakumbh fair.
Officials of the Prayagraj Mela Authority will take the opinion of seers regarding preparations for Mahakumbh-2025.
A meeting of seers of different Hindu monastic orders with officers of the Prayagraj Mela Authority is set to take place on July 8 at the divisional commissioner’s office, people in the know of things said.
After the death of the then chief of the Akhada Parishad, Mahant Narendra Giri, in September 2021, the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad split into two factions. So, this time, two members from all the 13 recognised ancient Akhadas have been called for the meeting instead of issuing a general invitation for the Akhada Parishad meeting, as was the practice earlier, the officials explained.
The importance of the meeting can be gauged from the fact that the Akhadas have a special place in the formal events of each edition of the Kumbh and Mahakumbh fair.
Mahakumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand will also be present in this meeting to be chaired by the divisional commissioner and the chairman of the Prayagraj Mela Authority, Vijay Vishwas Pant.
Confirming the development, divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant said that this will be the first meeting with the Akhadas for Mahakukbh-2025, in which their opinion about the fair and its preparations will be taken.
Talks will be held with the seers of all the 13 Akhadas. Their needs for the fair will be enquired and concerns if any will be addressed, he added.
After the death of Mahant Narendra Giri, the Akhada Parishad got divided into two factions. As a result, the factions of Mahant Hari Giri and Mahant Rajendra Das have not been invited. Instead, a separate letter has been sent to all the 13 Akhadas by the Mela Authority. In this they have been requested to send two members each to the meeting.
ADM, Kumbh Mela, Vivek Chaturvedi, said that the Akhadas have confirmed that they will be sending their representatives to the meeting.
The state tourism department had announced the dates of the opening of Mahakumbh-2025 and Shahi Snans (royal baths) through hoardings in June, in a sharp departure from the past, when the dates of commencement of Kumbh/Mahakumbh and Shahi Snans were announced after a meeting of the Mela Authority, top seers of the Akhada Parishad, and the district administration. The announcement had upset the seers.
The chief patron of Juna Akhada and secretary of ABAP, Mahant Hari Giri, had expressed anger at the time, saying, “If the dates are to be announced only on the basis of the Panchang (Hindu astronomical calendar), then even a common man can decide and announce the dates of Shahi Snans for the next 1,200 years. What is the need for us? Let the Mela authorities and the tourism department announce what they wish. We, the seers, are not accepting their dates because it is a one-sided decision.”
According to the information mentioned on the UP Tourism department hoardings, Mahakumbh-2025 will be 45 days while all the three royal baths in which all the Akhadas take part with pomp and show will be held in the first 21 days itself.
According to the hoardings, Mahakumbh will start with Paush Purnima on January 13. The dates of the three Shahi Snans are Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29) and Basant Panchami (February 3). Other major bathing days also announced include Achala Saptami on February 4, Maghi Purnima on February 12 and the last of the bathing days, ie, Mahashivratri Snan on February 26.
