LUCKNOW: After 10 days of protest against the Magh Mela administration and state authorities over his alleged mistreatment on Mauni Amavasya (January 18), Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati left Prayagraj on Wednesday without taking the traditional holy dip at the Sangam. The seer departed for Kashi in a vanity van, expressing deep hurt and dismay over recent events.
Addressing his followers before leaving, the Shankaracharya said, “Today my mind is extremely distressed. I am leaving this sacred place without taking a bath—something I never imagined would happen. Prayagraj has always been a land of faith and peace. I came here with devotion, but an incident occurred that shook me deeply.”
He described the incident as one that “not only shook my soul but also raised serious questions about collective faith in justice and humanity.” The seer revealed that the administration had sent him a proposal the previous day, offering to take him to the Sangam in a palanquin with full respect and senior officials present to perform the ritual bath. He declined the offer, stating, “When the heart is filled with grief and anger, even sacred waters cannot bring peace.”
Following his early exit, the Shankaracharya conducted worship and rituals outside the camp before leaving for Kashi.
The dispute began on Mauni Amavasya, when the administration stopped his palanquin en route to the Sangam due to an unprecedented surge of devotees and asked him to proceed on foot to avoid untoward incidents. The decision led to protests by his disciples, reportedly resulting in scuffles with mela police. Avimukteshwaranand then staged a sit-in outside his camp, refusing to enter for 10 days.
The administration issued notices asking him to provide proof of his status as a Shankaracharya, which he responded to formally. The dispute intensified after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, speaking at an event in Haryana, cautioned against “Kalanemis” harming the image of Sanatan dharma, a remark widely interpreted as referring to Avimukteshwaranand. In turn, the seer compared the Chief Minister to Kalanemi and Aurangzeb, further deepening the political and religious standoff.