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Till now, only those belonging to
upper castes including Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishyas, were ordained as Naga
Sadhus.
upper castes including Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishyas, were ordained as Naga
Sadhus.
The Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad
(ABAP), the apex body of saints and seers has decided to ordain Dalits as Naga
Sadhus.
(ABAP), the apex body of saints and seers has decided to ordain Dalits as Naga
Sadhus.
The ABAP will induct Dalits as
Naga Sadhus in the Ardh Kumbh which is scheduled to be held in Allahabad in
January-February 2019.
Naga Sadhus in the Ardh Kumbh which is scheduled to be held in Allahabad in
January-February 2019.
The timing of this decision
coincides with the general elections and is apparently designed to consolidate
the BJP’s Dalit outreach.
coincides with the general elections and is apparently designed to consolidate
the BJP’s Dalit outreach.
ABAP president Mahant Narendra
Giri, who is also the head of the Niranjani Akhara confirmed that the ceremony
for ordaining Dalits into the Naga cult will take place in the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.
Giri, who is also the head of the Niranjani Akhara confirmed that the ceremony
for ordaining Dalits into the Naga cult will take place in the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.
“It is going to be a historic
moment and all the 13 major Akharas have agreed on this,” he said.
moment and all the 13 major Akharas have agreed on this,” he said.
Till now, only those belonging to
upper castes including Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishyas, were ordained as Naga
Sadhus. “If Dalits and members of other lower castes are willing to lead the
difficult life of a Naga Sadhus, we have no problem in bringing them into the
cult. In fact, this will put an end to caste divides,” he said.
upper castes including Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishyas, were ordained as Naga
Sadhus. “If Dalits and members of other lower castes are willing to lead the
difficult life of a Naga Sadhus, we have no problem in bringing them into the
cult. In fact, this will put an end to caste divides,” he said.
Mahant Pradeep Acharya, a well-known
seer in Lucknow, said, “This is a landmark in the history of Hindu
religion. It signals the changing times and also the acceptability of all
castes. We have come a long way from the days when Dalits were not even allowed
to enter temples.”
seer in Lucknow, said, “This is a landmark in the history of Hindu
religion. It signals the changing times and also the acceptability of all
castes. We have come a long way from the days when Dalits were not even allowed
to enter temples.”
Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle