The controversy that erupted in Prayagraj during the ongoing Magh Mela when Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati was prevented from taking a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya is completely contrary to the dignity of Prayagraj. This incident has caused deep concern and reflection among all the saints and the wider community, as it has tarnished the sanctity of Prayagraj. Allegations have been made that the police beat Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati’s supporters. The Shankaracharya’s chariot was stopped. The Shankaracharya declared this an insult to the saints and decided to stage a protest, declaring it a religious war. Meanwhile, the Magh Mela administration sent a notice to Swami Avimukteshwaranand, questioning his claim to the title of Shankaracharya. The Magh Mela authority’s notice asks Swami Avimukteshwaranand why he has used the title “Shankaracharya” before his name. The notice from the Mela authority refers to a case pending in the Supreme Court. The Mela administration states that since no order has yet been passed in this case, no religious leader can be consecrated as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth. Despite this, Swami Avimukteshwaranand has inscribed “Shankaracharya” before his name on the signboards of his camp in the Mela area.
Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand was appointed Shankaracharya after the death of his guru, Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati passed away on September 11, 2022, at the age of 99 after a prolonged illness. He breathed his last at Paramhansi Ganga Ashram in Jhoteshwar, Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh. The names of his successors were announced even before his burial. Based on Swami Swaroopanand’s will, his private secretary and disciple, Subodhanand Maharaj, handed over the seat of Jyotish Peeth Badrinath to Swami Avimukteshwaranand and the seat of Dwarka Sharda Peeth to Swami Sadanand. This announcement was made in front of the mortal remains of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. In the Sanatan tradition, the heads of these monasteries are called Shankaracharya.
Later, a controversy arose regarding his appointment as Shankaracharya, as the Sanyasi Akhara refused to recognize him as Shankaracharya, and the matter has been pending in the Supreme Court ever since. Swami Avimukteshwaranand, in his reply to the notice from the Magh Mela administration, stated that there is no dispute regarding his being a Shankaracharya. He has given a detailed account of the entire legal process in his reply. He has sent a legal notice through his lawyer stating that if the administration does not withdraw the notice within 24 hours, he will initiate legal proceedings. The entire saint community is divided over this controversy. Swami Avimukteshwaranand and his supporters say that neither the government, the administration, nor the President of India has the right to decide who is a Shankaracharya. The decision of who is a Shankaracharya will be made by the saint community and the Shankaracharyas themselves. On the other hand, the saints who do not accept him as Shankaracharya are speaking a different language. The question also arises as to why, when Swami Avimukteshwaranand was recognized as a Shankaracharya at the 2025 Mahakumbh, and Shankaracharya Swami Sadanand Saraswati of Dwarka Peeth, Shankaracharya Vidhushekhar Bharati of Sringeri Math, and Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand of Jyotish Math all bathed together at the Mahakumbh, a notice was sent to him during the Magh Mela, thus fueling the controversy. The opposition parties, Congress and the Samajwadi Party, have also raised questions about this. Opposition leaders say that there is an unbroken tradition of guru-disciple lineage under which Shankaracharyas are chosen, but now Shankaracharyas are being questioned about their identity through official notices. Swami Avimukteshwaranand has been involved in controversies several times due to his outspokenness and statements. A renowned scholar with expertise in Vedanta, Puranas, and astrology, Swami Avimukteshwaranand refused to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple, calling it incomplete. He also protested against the demolition of dozens of old temples during the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. He has also repeatedly questioned the government sharply on the issue of beef export.
What happened so suddenly that they were even prevented from taking a bath? Swami Avimukteshwaranand is also carrying the banner of Sanatan Dharma and propagating Hinduism. He is active in cow protection. He claims that his coronation took place on September 12, 2022, and therefore the court order is irrelevant. His appointment was made according to the will. This dispute has now become a major political issue. The administration should resolve this dispute wisely and allow him to bathe respectfully. There is no place for insulting saints in Indian culture. No attempt should be made to hurt religious sentiments. This harms religion and shatters people’s faith. The administration should restore the dignity of Prayagraj by not getting involved in the Shankaracharya dispute.
