Naga saints : Aloof and wrapped in mystery, but still drawing crowds in Kumbh Mela

ALLAHABAD: As formidable as their ash-smeared, unclad bodies and matted hair might look, Naga sadhus are attracting crowds to the Mela ground, where they are camping ahead of Kumbh-2019.

Around one lakh naga saints from all 13 akharas are expected to camp during the Mela, which commences from January 15.

Devotees from all across the globe are flocking to the Mela ground to seek their blessings and also seen taking interest in getting to know the history of these seers.

Naga saints attend only Kumbh Melas and Ardh Kumbhs, whenever they are organised in Allahabad, Ujjain, Haridwar and Nasik.

Mahant Anand Giri of Shri Panchayati Niranjani Akhara said, "Over one lakh naga saints from all 13 akharas would be staying on Mela ground. The Naga saints are followers of Adi Shankaracharya who is credited with creating the 'Shaastra (knowledge) Ki Fauj' and 'Shastra (warriors) ki Fauj'."

"The Naga seers are known as warriors and prefer to stay in their chavanis(camps). They even hold mock jousts with each other using swords, spears and tridents," he added.

The city-based religious scholar, Pandit Ram Naresh Tripathi, said, "All akharas worship a separate set of weapons like swords, spears and tridents. The Naga saints of Niranjani Akhara worship ancient old swords."

Tripathi added that these saints consider Adi Shankarcharya as a guru and chant the 'guru mantra' at their camps daily.

According to the experts, these mysterious seers took on Mughals and Britishers several times to protect the 'sanatan dharam'.

"Born in Kerela, Shankarachrya left home when he was a child and travelled miles across the country to establish the dashnaam sanyas ashrams. Realising the importance of shaastra(knowledge) and shastra(weapons), Shankaracharya made shaastra the preserver of the acharyas(teachers) and shastra the ornaments of Nagas,” Tripathi added.

He also said that Naga saints gave up the materialistic world and practise celibacy to escape from the cycle of birth and death and gain salvation.

They are also worshippers of Lord Shiva.

Tripathi said, "The word 'Nag' means 'naked' and hence they are known as Naga Babas. They rarely interact with the masses and only attend the Kumbh Mela and the Ardh Kumbh."

"The rules and rituals for becoming naga saint are not easy. One needs to be a celibate, observe penance and a will to serve god among other things to become a Naga saint" he added.