'Fake' Shankaracharyas issue rages at Kumbh

The controversy erupted when the alleged self-proclaimed Shankaracharya of the Sumeru Kashi Peeth Swami Narendrananda sought allotment of land from the mela (fair) administration at the Kumbh.

Claiming that there were only four Shankaracharyas in the country, one of the Shankaracharyas said no land should be allotted to Swami Narendrananda as he was a “fake” Shankaracharya.

Disciples of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati have threatened that they would leave the Mahakumbh if the “fake” Shankaracharyas were not asked to leave the mela area.

Disciples of one of the alleged “fake” Shankaracharyas have also threatened to commit suicide if they were forced to leave the Mahakumbh midway.

The “akharas” also seemed to be divided and are unable to a reach a decision over the controversy. President of the All India Akhara Parishad Mahant Gyan Das said the issue should be amicably resolved in the light of religious scriptures. Taking a note of the anger of the saint community, the “mela” administration on Friday removed the banners, name plates and hoardings of the “fake” Shankaracharyas from the mela area. “Only four Shankaracharyas have been included in the official list,” a Kumbh official said.

With the second “shahi snan” (royal bath) barely a fortnight away, the controversy could have an adverse impact, the saints fear.

The controversy is quite old and it erupts during the Kumbh fair when many “fake”  Shankaracharyas reach the mela and pitch their tents.

The Adi Shankaracharya, according to the Hindu scriptures, had established only four peeths of Shankaracharya in the four regions of the country. They included Joshimath, Govardhan Math in Puri, Srinderi Sharda Peetham and Dwarkia Peeth.