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When we hear the word “Akhara”, images of wrestlers and their wrestling matches come to our mind. But in the spiritual field also, Akhara saints have an important place. Such as Nirmohi Akhara, Juna Akhara and Shambhu Panch Dashnam Akhara, all these are the Akharas of saints which are often in discussion. The saints of these Akharas have arrived on the occasion of Mahakumbh 2025, and their temporary ashrams have been built. Crores of devotees do not forget to visit various Akharas during Mahakumbh and seek blessings of saints.
Here the question arises that why the ashrams of saints are called “Akhada”. Experts believe that “Akhara” means “Unbroken”. Actually, the word “Akhand” got corrupted over time and became “Akhara”. Its spiritual meaning is that which cannot be divided.
Adi Guru Shankaracharya tried to unite the sages to protect Sanatan Dharma. Under this effort, various Akharas were established, so that different traditions and beliefs could be brought together and religious traditions could be preserved.
The specialty of the members of Akharas is that they are proficient in both scriptures and weapons. Akhara is a symbol of social order, unity, culture and morality. The main objective of Akharas is to establish spiritual values in the society.
In the selection of religious gurus, it is kept in mind that their life should be of virtue, restraint, charity, hard work, foresight and righteousness. Akharas play an important role in Indian culture and unity. Even though they are divided into different organizations, the Akharas still remain a symbol of unity.
Naga Sanyasi Akhara is a specific type of monasteries, where each Naga Sanyasi belongs to one or the other Akhara. These monks are knowledgeable about the scriptures and are also capable of using weapons.
At present, Akharas can be divided into three categories based on their Ishta Dev:
- Shaiva Akhara: Their favorite god is Lord Shiva and they worship various forms of Shiva.
- Vaishnav Akhara: Their favorite god is Vishnu and they worship various forms of Vishnu.
- nostalgic arena: The followers of this sect worship “Om”, and are considered to be the followers of Shri Chandra Dev Ji, son of Shri Nanak Dev, the original Guru of the Sikh sect.
Thus, Akharas not only represent organizations of saints but also promote spirituality, morality and unity in the society.