In Brief : Nagas & Akhada System of Hinduism

Akhadas 

Akhada’ is a distorted form of the word ‘akhand’, which means complete. The first akhada was formed by Adi Shankaracharya in the eighth century with the aim of safeguarding the Hindu religion's interests.The Ascetics of all sects, from North Bharat to Godavari River are classified into 13 Sanghas. The 13 Sanghas means 13 Akhadas, the 14 one is the newest one of Transgender Sadhus, but yet to find the name.

Akhadas Can be divided in 3 Major Types -

1.) Shaiv
2.)Vaishnav
3.)Udaseen

The Shaiva (Dashanami) Akhadas -

There are seven such Akhadas.

1. Maha-nirvani
2. Atal
3. Niranjani
4. Anand
5. Juna (Bhairav)
6. Avahan
7. Agni

Adi Shankaracharya classified the united renunciants in the Shaiva sect into 10 groups as below

1. Giri
2. Puri
3. Bharati
4. Tirtha
5. Ban
6. Aranya
7. Parvat
8. Ashram
9. Sagar 
10. Saraswati

These united groups are called ‘Dashanami Akhadas’. These Akhadas are of seven types(as mentioned above). The chief Deity and flag of each Akhada is different. Religious education and training in arms is given in the renunciant Akhadas of the Shaiva sect. Hence, they emit Kshatratej (Radiance of a warrior).

The Shaivite Akharas are led by the intensely religious and scholarly Mahanirvani Akhara and the enormously well-funded Niranjani Akhara (which, in fact, have the first and second places in the bathing schedules that are drawn up at the Kumbh), but the real stars are the sadhus of the Juna (also known as Bhairav) Akhara. The Naga sadhus of the Juna Akhara are famed for their naked state, ash being the only covering they permit themselves.

Vaishnav Akhadas 

There are 3 prominent Akhadas.

1. Digambar 2. Nirmohi 3. Nirvani

(There are 18 sub-Akhadas and khalsas.)

Some disciples of Jagad-guru Shri Ramanandacharya and the disciple of Shri Bhavanandacharya, Shri Balanandaji considered Prabhu Shriramchandra as their Deity of worship. They united all the four Vaishnav religious orders and established three Bairagi (Vaishnav) Akhadas. The Vaishnav Akhadas also practice weapons and study Holy scriptures vigorously. 

Other Vaishnav Akhadas are  –

1. Niralambi 2. Santoshi 3. Mahanirvani 4. Khaki

        The Ascetics of these Akhadas call themselves ‘Bairagi’ or ‘Alakha’. The main duty of these Akhadas is to protect Hindus and their temples from the foreign aggressors.

The Vaishnav (Bairagi) Akharas are led by the Nirmohi Akhara, the Nirvani Akharav and the Digamber Akhara. All three have in course of time fragmented further, with the Nirmohi now boasting nine branches, the Nirvani (not to be confused with the Shaivite Mahanirvani Akhara) being further split into seven sub-branches and the Digamber being split into two.

Udasin Akhadas

There are two such Akhadas.

1. Udasin Panchayati Bada Akhada  2. Udasin Panchayati Naya Akhada

Besides these, Nirmal Akhada of Sikhs is also Udasin Akhada.

The Udasin Akhara, comprising of Sikhs who have converted to Hinduism, yet still venerate the Guru Granth Sahib as their chief religious text. Also forming part of the honour roll of the leading Akharas is the Nirmal — more accurately the Nirmal Panchayati Akhara — who comprise of Sikhs who have not converted to Hinduism,who follow Guru Nanak and was established through the inspiration of their Dharmaguru Guru Gobind Singh,

The Akharas are headed by Acharya Mahamandaleshwars, followed by the Mahamandaleshwars, the Acharyas and the Mahants, with the lay sadhus making up the following. The structure is simple — depending on the overall strength of the Akhara, a certain number of sadhus fall under a Mahant, with a group of Mahants coming under each Mahamandaleshwar and the latter, in turn, reporting to the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar who, as far as that particular Akhara is concerned, is the supreme authority.”

why the Akhadas of all Ascetics are only from North Bharat ?

All the Akhadas coming to the Kumbh Melas are from North Bharat. There is not a single Akhada from South Bharat. The utmost danger of attacks on Hindu Dharma was in North Bharat. Comparatively, South Bharat was calm. As a result, scholars following the Path of Knowledge are found in the South, whereas worshippers following the Path of Devotion are found in North Bharat.

As the Hindu political powers became weak, the Ascetics and renunciants came forward to protect Dharma, so as to repulse the Islamic aggressors who heaped untold miseries on the Hindus. The Naga sect and Dashanami renunciants came together and held spears as a weapon which symbolised strength. They began to give training in gymnastics and using of various weapons such as swords, along with lessons on religious scriptures. Two parts – ‘The weapon-wielding renunciants who preserve the ancient spiritual traditions’ and ‘The weapon-wielding renunciants who fight for the protection of  Dharma’  were  created  among  the  Naga-Dashanami  renunciants. They performed the historic mission of protecting Dharma as given ahead.

A. In the year 1666, Aurangzeb attacked Ascetics and devotees in the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar. The Ascetics gave a fitting reply to the attack. When Maratha soldiers in the Mughal army noticed saffron flags of the Ascetics, they too fought against the Mughals. As a result, the Mughal army was defeated.

B. Innumerable Ascetics laid down their lives and repulsed the attack of Ahmadshah Abdali in 1748 and on Mathura in 1757.

C. The Mughal rule was eliminated from 32 villages in Jhansi under the leadership of Naga Ascetic Rajendragiri in from 1751 to 1753, and he hoisted the flag of Independence in these areas. In the Year 1751, Bangash Afghan chieftain Ahmed Khan of Farrukhabad resorted to violence and loot at Prayag, and abducted four thousand high-caste women. At that time, six thousand Naga Ascetics who had gathered at Triveni Sangam for the Kumbha Parva united and attacked the army of Bangash Afgan chieftain. The Ascetics freed the abducted women and wounded many Afghan soldiers.

D. In the Year 1855, during the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, Oumanandji (Guru of Swami Dayanand  Saraswati, Founder of Arya Samaj) and His Guru Purnanandji prepared a blue print for the First War of Independence against the British rulers in the Year 1857 and spread the blue print all over Bharat through the medium of Ascetics who had gathered from the entire country. During the Kumbh Mela at Prayag in the year 1858, Nanasaheb Dhundhu-pant, Balasaheb Peshwa, Tatya  Tope, Ajmulla Khan and King Kunvarsingh of Jagadishpur took an oath in the camp of Dashanami Ascetics in the presence of ‘Dast’ Baba to drive the British out of Bharat. Hundreds of Ascetics and Saints were present for the oath-taking ceremony.

        Not only renunciants, but Bairagis too fought with arms many times against aggressors of other religions, and thus performed a major duty in the protection of Dharma. Despite being scholars, the armed Ascetics of Shaiva and Vaishnav Akhadas gave great relief to the unarmed and peace-loving Hindu community. It is a historic fact that the aggression of Islam could be stopped on the border of Sindh due to these Akhadas.

Naga Sadhus are a particular group of Shaivite saints who reside in the Himalayan Caves and come to visit the civilization only during the Kumbh Mela. This is the only event when these ascetic saints can be seen amongst the general Indian population.

Nagas ....

The Naga Sadhus have unique characteristic features drawing inspiration from the God Shiva. They hold tridents crowned with human skulls. Their bodies are smeared in thick ash and they wear heavy coils of matted hair on the head. These saints remain completely naked even during biting cold. They smoke Marijuana through a pipe called a Chillum or Shiv Muli. They use it as a tool to avoid the worldly distraction yet have self-control even in the intoxicated state. But as they advance in spiritual life they renounce intoxication too. The Naga Sadhus renounce the materialistic world and practice celibacy to escape from the cycle of birth and death and to attend salvation. As they belong to the Shaivite sect, they have matted locks of hair and their bodies are covered in ash like God Shiva.

The Naga Sadhus were founded by Dattatreya during ancient times such that the date of the foundation is lost. The ancient period was perhaps an age when humans never stressed the importance of time. Shankaracharya was the first one to organize the Nagas to protect sanatan dharma (Hinduism).

The Naga Sadhus live is called ‘Akharas.’ The member of an ‘Akhara’ should always be ready for an intellectual fight and even for wrestling.

The Naga Sadhus – part of a mysterious and secret society – are worshippers of Lord Shiva. Nag means ‘naked’ and hence they are known as Nag Babas or Warrior-Ascetics. The rarely appear in public and the Kumbh Mela is one of those rare public events.

The Naga Babas are a warrior class and are divided like a regiment in an army. They have no fear of death and enraging them is a sure shot call for trouble. Their attributes are the trident, sword, stick, conch shells, other weapons and musical instruments which reflect their warrior status.

Naga Sadhus – often misunderstood by the western media as part of Indian religious gimmicks – are the epitome of renunciation. They hardly care whether they are misunderstood or called the naked holy men of India or ash-smeared and naked Hindu saints and walk unshaken on the path they have sworn for life.