A fresh controversy has emerged at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj after Swami Avimukteshwaranand was served a notice by the Prayagraj Mela Authority, asking him to justify his use of the revered title ‘Shankaracharya’. The notice follows a confrontation between his followers and the mela administration during the Mauni Amavasya bathing festival.
According to officials, the notice questions the legitimacy of Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s claim to the title of Shankaracharya, citing a Supreme Court order that does not recognise him as the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math (Jyotish Peeth). He has been asked to submit a response within 24 hours explaining the basis of his claim.
The notice refers to an ongoing legal dispute titled Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeeth P.S.S.N. Saraswati versus Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati (Case No. 3010/2020). The case involves long-standing rival claims over the rightful spiritual headship of Jyotir Math, located at Badrinath in Uttarakhand.
The dispute traces its roots to competing claims by P.S.S.N. Saraswati, also known as Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, and Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, a disciple of Swami Shantanand Saraswati. The matter has been examined by trial courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court, particularly on issues of eligibility and injunctions.
In October 2022, the Supreme Court stayed the coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, further complicating the matter. Hindu scholars note that while tradition discourages leaving a peeth without a Shankaracharya, legal clarity remains essential in cases of disputed succession.
The title ‘Shankaracharya’ is traditionally associated with the heads of monasteries following the Advaita Vedanta philosophy established by Adi Shankaracharya. He founded four principal mutts across India: Jyotish Peeth at Badrikashram in the north, Sharada Peeth at Dwarka in the west, Govardhan Peetha at Puri in the east, and Sringeri Sharada Peetham in Karnataka in the south.
The issuance of the notice comes amid heightened tensions during Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant bathing days of the Magh Mela. Swami Avimukteshwaranand alleged that he and his followers were stopped by police from taking a holy dip in the Ganga. Following the incident, he staged a protest outside his camp, abstaining from food and water, and demanded an apology from senior mela and police officials.
Mela Officer Rishiraj, however, stated that supporters of the seer allegedly breached barricades on a pontoon bridge reserved for emergency services. District Magistrate Manish Verma said similar concerns regarding the Shankaracharya’s status had surfaced during the 2022 Magh Mela, after which legal opinion was sought by the administration.
The controversy has also drawn political reactions. The Congress party condemned the alleged mistreatment of Swami Avimukteshwaranand, accusing the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of disrupting long-standing religious traditions. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention and demanded an apology from the authorities.
Addressing a press conference, Khera alleged that the seer was prevented from participating in the customary ‘royal bath’ and claimed that his followers were manhandled by police. He further questioned the government’s priorities, comparing the security provided to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat with the restrictions imposed on the Shankaracharya.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over the seer’s safety and alleged that he was being targeted for previously questioning government decisions on religious and administrative matters. The Uttar Pradesh government has yet to issue a detailed response to these allegations.
