Reporter : Mr Sagar Garud, Prayagraj

Prayagraj, January 19 – Over 2,000 new ascetics of the Shri Panchadashnam Juna Akhada were initiated as Naga Sadhus on January 18 during the Maha Kumbh Parva in Prayagraj. The initiation ceremony, conducted exclusively during the Kumbh festival, drew hundreds of devotees intrigued by the enigmatic lives of Naga Sadhus. The Pithadhishwar of Shri Panchadashnam Juna Akhada, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Anant Shri Vibhushit Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji, presided over the rituals.
Commencing at dawn, the initiation ceremony culminated at 1:30 AM with a holy bath in the Ganga. Additional rites are scheduled for January 19.
The new ascetics performed various religious rituals after taking a holy bath in the Ganga during the afternoon. They gathered at the Shri Panchadashnam Juna Akhada throughout the day. By midnight, under the Dharmadhwaj, all the ascetics prayed in the presence of Swami Avdheshanand Ji for strength to contribute to the protection of dharma. They then recited the Gayatri Mantra and offered sesame seeds in the sacred fire near the Dharmadhwaj.

Later, the newly initiated Naga Sadhus, led by Swami Avdheshanand Ji, proceeded to the Ganga River. Upon Swami Avdheshanand Ji’s chant of “Om Namo Bhagavate,” they took a holy dip in the river, returned to the Akhada, and prayed before the Dharmadhwaj before dispersing to their respective camps. Among those initiated were children, disabled individuals, and elderly ascetics.
Braving the Bitter Cold in Minimal Attire

From early morning until late night, the newly initiated ascetics participated in rituals wearing only a loincloth. Despite the biting cold, they took a holy dip in the freezing Ganga water at the start and end of the ceremony, refraining from drying themselves. They walked barefoot back to the Dharmadhwaj and warmed themselves by the fire.
Devotees’ Reverence for Naga Sadhus
The soil from the path walked by the newly initiated Naga Sadhus was collected by devotees, who applied it to their foreheads as a mark of reverence. Hundreds of devotees remained present throughout the day and late into the night at the Ganga banks and the Shri Panchadashnam Juna Akhada to witness the initiation rituals.