Akhara or Akhada (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

and

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

: अखाड़ा, shortened to ''khara''

: खाड़ा) is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training, both in the context of

Indian martial art Indian martial arts refers to the fighting systems of the Indian subcontinent. A variety of terms are used for the English phrases “Indian martial arts”, deriving from ancient sources. While they may seem to imply specific disciplines (e.g. ...

ists or a ''

sampradaya ''Sampradaya'' ( sa, सम्प्रदाय; ), in Indian origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and ...

'' monastery for religious renunciates in

Guru–shishya tradition The ''guru–shishya'' tradition, or ''parampara'' ("lineage"), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions). Each ''parampar ...

.Akharas and Kumbh Mela
''What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith'', by Editors of Hinduism Today, Hinduism Today Magazine Editors. Published by Himalayan Academy Publications, 2007. . ''243-244''. For example, in the context of the Dashanami Sampradaya sect, the word denotes both martial arts and religious monastic aspects of the trident wielding martial regiment of the renunciating

sadhu ''Sadhu'' ( sa, साधु, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female)), also spelled ''saddhu'', is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. ...

Etymology

The term ''akhara'', is a gender-egalitarian term, which means the ''circle'' or more precisely ''the spiritual core'',Carnival of the Soul At India’s Maha Kumbh Mela, News Week, Tahir Shah, 3 May 2013
/ref> ''congregation'' or ''league'', hree Essays: Cannibalism, The Kumbh Mela, The Legacy of Arab Science, Tahir Shah, pp.42/ref> it is similar to the Greek-origin word ''academy'' and the English word ''school'', can be used to mean both a physical institution or a group of them which share a common lineage or are under a single leadership, such as the school of monastic thought or the school of martial arts. Unlike the

gurukul Education in India is primarily managed by state-run public education system, which fall under the command of the government at three levels: central, state and local. Under various articles of the Indian Constitution and the Right of Childre ...

in which students live and study at the home of a

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

, members of an akhara although train under a guru but they do not live a domestic life. Some strictly practice Brahmacharya (celibacy) and others may require complete renunciation of worldly life. For example, wrestlers are expected to live a pure life while living at akhara with other fellow wrestlers, refraining from sex and owning few material possessions. In some languages such as Odia the word is officially transcribed as ''akhada'', by way of rendering the flapped sound as a ''d''. The

Haryanvi Haryanvi ( ' or '), also known as Bangru, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the state of Haryana in India, and to a lesser extent in Delhi. Haryanvi is considered to be part of the dialect group of Western Hindi, which also includes Kharib ...

and

Khari Boli Kauravi ( hi, कौरवी, ur, ), also known as Khaṛībolī is a set of Western Hindi varieties of Shauraseni Prakrit mainly spoken in Northwestern Uttar Pradesh. Standard Hindi and Urdu are based on Khariboli, specifically on its De ...

dialects shorten this to ''khada'' (खाड़ा).

History

Foundation dates of martial akharas

Jadunath Sarkar Sir Jadunath Sarkar (10 December 1870 – 19 May 1958) was a prominent Indian historian and a specialist on the Mughal dynasty. Academic career Sarkar was born in Karachmaria village in Natore, Bengal to Rajkumar Sarkar, the local Zamindar ...

documented the founding date of various akharas based on a 19the century manuscript provided to him by the Nirvani Akhara of Dashanami Sampradaya. *

Shavite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the God, Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates ...

martial akharas: Dashanami Sampradaya has 10 akharas, 6 of which are ancient akharas. The manuscript cited by Sarkar details the

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

of head of 6 akharas. According to this manuscript, the six military akharas were founded in the following years, Dashanami military kharas had prohibition against eating meat or taking of narcotics:David N. Lorenzen, 2006
Who Invented Hinduism: Essays on Religion in History
Yoda Press, p.51-65. # 547 CE, Avahan Akhara # 646 CE, Atal Akhara # 749 CE, Nirvani Akhara # 904 CE, Niranjani Akhara # 1146 CE, Juna Akhara which was originally called "Bhairavi Akhara" # 1856 CE, Anand Akhara *

Vaishnavite Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

akharas: Followers of Vaishnavism are also called Bairagi or Vairagi. Among the Bairagi, those who became part of the military akharas were organised in the 7 akharas founding dates of most of which are unclear. Each of the akhara accepted members from all 4 sects of Vaishnavism. Bairagi military akharas generally did not follow the prohibition against eating meat or taking of narcotics. Vaishnavism has following four major sects and 7 martial akharas: ** subsects or paramparas *** Sri founded by Ramananda *** Brahma founded by Madhava *** Ridra founded by Vishnusuvamin *** Sanakadi founded by Nimbarka ** Martial akharas - total 7: # Dadupanthis: Armed martial akharas were first likely formed by the Dadupantji guru Jait Sahib (1693–1734 CE) when he recruited armed Naga

s. In 1733, Dadupanthis were tax-paying farmers in Jaipur State and martial naga sadhus used employed to enforce the payment of taxes. In 1793, Dadupanthis and Jaipur State had an agreement under which Dadhupanthis provided 5000 armed soldier sadhus to defend the Jaipur State. During the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

, Dadupanthis acted as auxiliaries who assisted the East India Company forces. # Satnami martial akhara: Satnamis are an offshoot/subsect of Ravidassia sect which in turn is a

Ramanandi Sampradaya The Ramanandi (IAST ), also known as Ramavats (IAST ), are a branch of the Vaishnava Sri Sampradaya of Hinduism. Ramananda sect is the largest sect of Vaishnavas, out of 52 gates of Vaishnavism, 36 are held by Ramanandi's. They mainly emphasi ...

of Vaishnavism founded by the 14th century

called

Ramananda Sri Ramanandacharya (IAST: Rāmānanda) was a 14th-century Vaishnava devotional poet saint, who lived in the Gangetic basin of northern India. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the founder of the Ramanandi Sampradaya, the largest monastic ...

. Satnami revolt was a major rebellion against Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor, occurred in

Narnaul Narnaul is a city, a Municipal Council, and location of headquarters of the Mahendragarh district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is located in the National Capital Region of India. History Narnaul is built on a prominent tell, but th ...

and surrounding localities in the year 1672. The revolt was caused by the oppression led by the revenue officials of the Mughal Emperor. A large reinforcement was sent to contain the revolt and in the following battle thousands of Hindu Satnamis were killed. Satnamis revolted against the rule of mughal king Aurangzeb. # Sikh's martial akharas:

Khalsa Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,Kha ...

armed akharas were formed by Guru Govind Singh in 1699 against the

mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

, most notably against Aurangzeb.

Banda Singh Bahadur Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev) (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a commander of Khalsa army. At age 15, he left home to become an ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Bairagi. He established a monastery ...

, also called Banda Bairagi, who fought against Mughals was originally a Vaisnavite Bairagi.

Udasi Udasi (Gurmukhi: ਉਦਾਸੀ ਸੰਪਰਦਾ; ''udāsī saparadā'') is a religious sect of ascetic ''sadhus'' centred in northern India. Becoming custodians of Sikh shrines in the 18th century, they were notable interpreters and spreade ...

are a Sikh martial akhara. # Partial list, please help expand.

Historical timeline

In its earliest usage, ''akhara'' referred to training halls for professional fighters. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye translates the term as "military regiment". Ancient use of the word can be found in the ''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...

'' (c. 400 BCE text describing 900 BCE era) epic which mentions

Jarasandha Jarasandha was a powerful king of Magadha, a minor antagonist in Mahabharata. He was the son of king Brihadratha, the founder of the Barhadratha dynasty of Magadha. According to popular lore, the descendants of Brihadratha ruled Magadha for 26 ...

's Akhara at

Rajgir Rajgir, meaning "The City of Kings," is a historic town in the district of Nalanda in Bihar, India. As the ancient seat and capital of the Haryanka dynasty, the Pradyota dynasty, the Brihadratha dynasty and the Mauryan Empire, as well as the d ...

. Legendary figures like

Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Veerarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. He is believed to be one of the ''Chiranjeevis'' (Immortals), who will appea ...

and Agastya are credited as the founders of the early martial akhara in certain regions of India. Svinth (2002) traces press ups and squats used by South Asian wrestlers to the pre-classical era. Many of the popular sports mentioned in the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

and the epics have their origins in military training, such as boxing (''

musti-yuddha Musti-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मुष्टि युद्ध) is a traditional combat sport originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term literally means "fist combat", from the Sanskrit words ''muṣṭi'' (fist) and ''yuddha'' (fight, battle, ...

''), wrestling (''maladwandwa''), chariot-racing (''rathachalan''), horse-riding (''aswa-rohana'') and archery (''dhanurvidya''). When the 8th-century philosopher

Adi Shankaracharya Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

(788–820 CE) founded the Dashanami Sampradaya, he divided the ascetics into two categories: Shastradhari (

: शास्त्रधारी, lit. scripture-bearers) intelligentsia and Astradhari (

: अस्त्रधारी, lit. weapon-bearers) warriors. Shankaracharya established Naga sadhus as an astradhari armed order. He also popularised the

Char Dham The Char Dham (meaning: ''four abodes'') is a set of four pilgrimage sites in India. It is believed that visiting these sites helps achieve moksha (salvation). The four Dhams are, Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It is believed that ev ...

s during the rein of Katyuri dynasty of

Garhwal Kingdom Garhwal Kingdom was an independent Himalayan kingdom in the current north-western Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India, founded in 688 CE by Kanak Pal, the progenitor of the Panwar dynasty that ruled over the kingdom uninterrupted until ...

., p.26 In 904 CE and 1146 CE, Niranjani Akhara and Juna Akhara were founded respectively. In 1398 CE,

Timur Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kü ...

massacred thousands of Sadhus of various Akharas and

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s at Haridwar mela after sacking Delhi to punish the

Tughlaq Dynasty The Tughlaq dynasty ( fa, ), also referred to as Tughluq or Tughluk dynasty, was a Muslim dynasty of Indo- Turkic origin which ruled over the Delhi sultanate in medieval India. Its reign started in 1320 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the ...

Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq ( fa, ) (reign: 1394 – February 1413 CE), also known as Nasiruddin Mohammad Shah, was the last sultan of the Tughlaq dynasty to rule the Islamic Delhi Sultanate. History War of succession with Nusrat Shah ...

's perceived lack of brutality towards Hindus. In 1567 CE, Jogis (Giris) and

Sannyasi ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...

(Puris) battled each other as detailed in the Tabaqat-i-Akbari, both are 2 of the 10 orders of Dashanami Akhara. Puris were outnumbered by 200 to 500 by Jogis, Akbar asked his soldiers to smear ash and join Puris to help them, this led to the victory of Puris, In 1657/1672 CE, Satnami revellion against Aurangzeb's persecution of Non-Muslims. In 1664 CE, Dashanami Akhara possibly battled Aurangzeb. In 1690 CE and 1760 CE, Akharas of Saivites and Vaishnava sects fought each other at Nashik mela (60,000 died) and Haridwar mela (1,800 died). In 1770-1820 CE, during Sannyasi rebellion against

Company rule in India Company rule in India (sometimes, Company ''Raj'', from hi, rāj, lit=rule) refers to the rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, when ...

, Akharas played a key role specially the Dashanami akhara. In 1780 CE, the East India Company administration establish the sequence of order of procession for royal bathing by the akharas at Kumbh Mela to eliminate disputes. Today, akhara may be used for religious purposes or for the teaching of

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

and martial arts. Some of the noted Akhara organizations include

Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (; ), one of the organizations of Hindu ''Sants'' (saints) and ''sadhus'' (ascetics) in India. The ABAP is composed of 14 ''akharas'', or organisations of Hindu ''sants'' and ''sadhus.'' Nirmohi Akhara (involv ...

(All India Akhara Council),

Nirmohi Akhara Nirmohi Akhara (English: "Group without Attachment")Who Are the Nirmohi ...

, Shri Dattatreya Akhara and Guru Hanuman Akhara.

Akharas within Guru–Shishya traditional Sampradaya-Paramparas

Sampradaya ''Sampradaya'' ( sa, सम्प्रदाय; ), in Indian origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and ...

is a particular system of belief and within it a particular

's lineage is called '' parampara''. There are 3 distinct belief-system Sampradayas (Vaishnava, Shaivite and Dashanami sampradaya), each of which follows one of 3 types of Guru–shishya parampara lineage ( Deva, Rishi and Manav parampara), each sampradaya-parampara may have several akharas of shastradhari (intellectuals) or astradhari (warriors), and larger akharas may have own one or more permanent

matha A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

(

: सम्प्रदाय IAST ') translated as ‘tradition’, 'spiritual lineage' or a ‘religious system’. It relates to a succession of masters and disciples, which serves as a spiritual channel, and provides a delicate network of relationships that lends stability to a religious identity. ''Sampradaya'' is a body of practice, views and attitudes, which are transmitted, redefined and reviewed by each successive generation of followers. A particular

lineage is called '' parampara''. By receiving diksha (initiation) into the ''

guru–shishya tradition The ''guru–shishya'' tradition, or ''parampara'' ("lineage"), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions). Each ''parampar ...

al'' ''parampara'' of a living guru, one belongs to its proper ''sampradaya''. One cannot become a member by

birth Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...

, as is the case with '' gotra'', a seminal, or hereditary,

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

. In the traditional residential form of education, the shishya remains with his or her guru as a family member and gets the education as a true learner. In some traditions there is never more than one active master at the same time in the same ''guruparamaparya'' (lineage). : Sampradaya: three sampradayas are Vaishnava, Shavite and Advait ::* Vaishnava sampradaya: has 4 major Guru–shishya traditional paramparas ::** Sri Sampradaya parampara of guru

Ramanujacharya Ramanuja (Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents o ...

, ::**

Madhva Sampradaya Sadh Vaishnavism (IAST: ''Sādh Vaiṣṇavism''), (popularly referred as Madhva Sampradaya, Madhva Vaishnavism and Brahma Sampradaya), is a denomination within the VaishnavismBhagavata tradition of Hinduism. Sadh Vaishnavism was founded by thirt ...

parampara of guru

Madhvacharya Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the '' Dvaita'' (dualism) sch ...

, ::**

Rudra Sampradaya In Hinduism, the Rudra Sampradaya is one of four Vaishnava sampradayas, a tradition of disciplic succession in the religion. Vaishnavism is distinguished from other schools of Hinduism by its primary worship of deities Vishnu and/or Krishna an ...

parampara of guru Viṣṇusvāmī/

Vallabhacharya Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu (1479–1531 CE), also known as Vallabha, Mahaprabhuji and Vishnuswami, or Vallabha Acharya, is a Hindu Indian saint and philosopher who founded the Krishna-centered PushtiMarg sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj(Vraj) ...

::**

Kumara sampradaya The Nimbarka Sampradaya ( IAST: ''Nimbārka Sampradāya'', Sanskrit निम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय), also known as the Hamsa Sampradāya, and Sanakādi Sampradāya (सनकादि सम्प्रदाय), i ...

parampara of guru

Nimbarka Nimbarkacharya ( sa, निम्बार्काचार्य, Nimbārkāchārya) ( 1130 – 1200), also known as Nimbarka, Nimbaditya or Niyamananda, was a Hindu philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the theology of Dvaita ...

::* Shaivite sampradaya: has 6 major Guru–shishya traditional paramparas ::**

Nandinatha Sampradaya Nandinatha Sampradaya (Sanskrit : नन्दिनाथ सम्प्रदाय) is a denomination of Shaivism sect of Hinduism that places great importance on the practice of yoga. It is related to the broader Nath Sampradaya. Living prece ...

parampara of guru

Tirumular Tirumular (also spelt Thirumoolar etc., originally known as Suntaranāthar) was a Tamil Shaivite mystic and writer, considered one of the sixty-three Nayanmars and one of the 18 Siddhars. His main work, the ''Tirumantiram'' (also sometimes wr ...

(now known as Siddha Sampradaya of

Shaiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () (Tamil: சைவ சித்தாந்தம் "Caiva cittāntam") is a form of Shaivism that propounds a dualistic philosophy where the ultimate and ideal goal of a being is to become an enlightened soul through Shiv ...

) ::** Meykandar Sampradaya parampara of guru Meykandar (now known as Saiva Adheenams of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

) ::**

Adinath Sampradaya The Adinath Sampradaya was a sadhu sub-sect of the greater Nath tradition. Followers of this tradition were given Sannyasa diksha, thus renouncing householder life, and thereafter lived as naked sadhus. Believing that sadhus should live alone until ...

parampara of guru

Matsyendranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well ...

and

Gorakshanath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath, c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, saint who was the influential founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India He is considered one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His follower ...

(now known as

Nath Sampradaya Nath, also called Natha, are a Shaiva sub-tradition within Hinduism in India and Nepal. A medieval movement, it combined ideas from Buddhism, Shaivism and Yoga traditions in India.Siddha Siddhanta) ::** Trika Sampradaya (also known as Ragasya Sampradaya and Trayambaka Sampradaya)V. N. Drabu (1990) "Śaivāgamas: A Study in the Socio-economic Ideas and Institutions of Kashmir (200 B.C. to A.D. 700) Indus Publishing parampara of guru

Durvasa In Hindu scriptures, Durvasa ( sa, दुर्वासा, ) also known as Durvasas (Sanskrit: दुर्वासस्), is a legendary rishi (sage). He is the son of Anasuya and Atri. According to some Puranas, Durvasa is a partial avat ...

and

Vasugupta Vasugupta (~ 800 – 850 CE) was the author of the '' Shiva Sutras'', an important text of the Advaita tradition of Kashmir Shaivism, also called ''Trika'' (sometimes called ''Trika Yoga''). Biography Little is known about Vasugupta's life, othe ...

who follow Kashmir Shaivism ::** Lingayat Sampradaya parampara ::** Srouta Sampradaya parampara ::* Advaita Sampradaya (also known as Ekadandis, currently known as Dashanami Sampradaya): After the decline of Buddhism, a section of the Ekadandis were organized by

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

in the 8th century in India to be associated with four '' maṭha''s paramparas to provide a base for the growth of Hinduism. Dashanami Sampradaya, "Tradition of Ten Names", is a

monastic tradition of ''Ekadandi sannyasins'' (wandering renunciates carrying a single staff) generally associated with the

Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...

tradition. ::** Bhogavala parampara of guru

Padmapāda Padmapadacharya was an Indian philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. Padmapāda's dates are unknown, but some modern scholarship places his life around the middle of the 8th century; similarly information about him comes mainly from h ...

at Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ (

Puri Puri () is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as '' ...

in Odisha) ::** Bhūrivala parampara of guru Sureśvara at Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (in Karnataka) ::** Kitavala parampara of guru Hastāmalakācārya at Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ (Dwaraka in Gujrat) ::** Nandavala parampara of guru Toṭakācārya at Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ (

Jyotirmath Joshimath, also known as Jyotirmath, is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Located at a height of 6150 feet (1875 m), it is a gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions, trekki ...

in Uttrakhand) : Paramparās: 3 types (Daiva, Rishi and Manav) ::Daiva-paramparā ::* Nārāyaṇa ::* Sada Shiva ::* Padmabhuva (

Brahmā Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...

) ::Ṛiṣhi-paramparā ::* Vaśiṣṭha ::*

Śakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and re ...

::* Parāśara ::*

Vyāsa Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...

::* Śuka ::Mānava-paramparā ::*

Gauḍapāda Gauḍapāda (Sanskrit: गौडपाद; ), also referred as Gauḍapādācārya ("Gauḍapāda the Teacher"), was an early medieval era Hindu philosopher and scholar of the ''Advaita'' Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. While details o ...

::* Govinda bhagavatpāda ::*

Śankara bhagavatpāda Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

, and then Shankara's four disciples ::**

::**

Hastāmalaka Hastamalakacharya ( IAST ') (c. 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher. He was made the first Jagadguru (''head'') of the Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ, the monastery founded by Adi Shankara in Dwaraka. Hastamalaka fou ...

::** Toṭaka ::** Vārtikakāra ( Sureśvara) and others

Two types of Akhara: Shashtradhari and Astradhari

When the 8th-century philosopher

founded the Dashanami Sampradaya, he divided the ascetics into two categories: * Shastradhari (

: शास्त्रधारी, lit. scripture-bearers) intelligentsia. * Astradhari (

: अस्त्रधारी, lit. weapon-bearers) warriors. This refers to the

Naga sadhus Naga or NAGA may refer to: Mythology * Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions * Naga Kingdom, in the epic ''Mahabharata'' * Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong Ri ...

(a sub-set of Dashanami Sampradaya), an armed order created by Shankaracharya to act as a Hindu army. These weapon-bearing

sadhus ''Sadhu'' ( sa, साधु, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female)), also spelled ''saddhu'', is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. The ...

used to serve as mercenaries and thus were divided into akhara or regiments. Akhara evolved into the "fighting martial force" of medicants likely as a reaction to the harsh and brutal treatment of Hindus by the

Muslim Rulers Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

. Akharas' act of self-defence of turning into armed monasteries of mystics, also led to the unintended consequence of their sectarian fights among themselves turning into violent armed clashes at Kumbh Melas with disastrous consequence including numerous deaths, which diminished only after the East India Company administration limited the warrior role of akharas., pp=57-58. Presently, Naga sadhu still carry weapons, but they rarely practice any form of fighting aside from wrestling.

Astra Martial Arts Akhara

Astra (HIndi: अस्त्र), the weapons or martial arts have a long tradition in India. The oldest recorded organized unarmed fighting art in South Asia is

malla-yuddha Malla-yuddha (Sanskrit: मल्लयुद्ध, ) is the traditional form of combat-wrestling originating in India. It is closely related to Southeast Asian wrestling styles such as naban and is one of the two ancestors of kushti. Indian ...

or combat-wrestling, codified into four forms and pre-dating the

Vedic Period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (ca. 1300–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, betwe ...

. Stories describing

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

report that he sometimes engaged in wrestling matches where he used knee strikes to the chest, punches to the head, hair pulling, and strangleholds. Based on such accounts, Svinth (2002) traces press ups and squats used by South Asian wrestlers to the pre-classical era. In modern usage, ''akhara'' most often denotes a wrestling ground and is typically associated with

kushti The ''kushti'' () also known as kosti, kusti and kustig is the sacred girdle worn by invested Zoroastrians around their waists. Along with the sedreh, the kushti is part of the ritual dress of the Zoroastrians. Origin The Avestan term for ...

. For wrestlers, the akhara serves as a training school and an arena in which to compete against each other. The akhara used by wrestlers still have dirt floors to which water, red ochre, buttermilk and oil are added. Aside from wrestling, other fighting systems are also taught and practiced in akhara, which are commonly named after their founder. Indian martial artists may still practice in regional versions of traditional akhara today, but these are often replaced with modern training studios outside

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Dangal

While akhara is a place where practicing martial artists lodge and train under a martial art guru, akhara is also usually an

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

for the ''dangal'' organised among the competing sports person.Rudraneil Sengupta, 2016
Enter the Dangal: Travels through India's Wrestling Landscape
chapter 1 and 2. While living at akhara,

pehlwan Pehlwani, (पहलवानी) also known as Kushti, is a form of wrestling contested in South Asia. It was developed in the Mughal Empire by combining Persian Koshti pahlevani with influences from native Indian Malla-yuddha. The words ''p ...

practice celibacy, stay smoke free and alcohol free and they eat nutrition tradition diet usually rich in milk, ghee, dried nuts and roti. ''Dangal'' is Hindi language word which means '' Sparring or competition in akhara, Sometimes called "Chhinj" in punjabi''.meaning of Dangal
HindiMeaningInd.in. Sparring is a form of

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

common to many

combat sports A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opp ...

which may vary in its precise form varies, but it is relatively ' free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely.

Langot

Langot The kaupinam, kaupina, langot or lungooty () is a loincloth worn by men in the Indian subcontinent as underclothing, it is now commonly worn by South Asian ''pehlwano'' wrestlers while exercising or sparring in a '' dangal''. It is made up of a r ...

(लंगोट) or langota (लंगोटा), also

Kaupinam The kaupinam, kaupina, langot or lungooty () is a loincloth worn by men in the Indian subcontinent as underclothing, it is now commonly worn by South Asian '' pehlwano'' wrestlers while exercising or sparring in a '' dangal''. It is made up of a ...

(कौपिनम) or kaupina (कौपिन), is a traditional style of Indian

loincloth A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or ...

for men, worn as

underwear Undergarments, underclothing, or underwear are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer garments from being soiled o ...

in dangal held in akharas. It is now mainly used by men when exercising and other intense physical games especially

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

, to prevent

hernias A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Various types of hernias can occur, most commonly involving the abdomen, and specifically the groin. Groin hernia ...

and hydrocele. Langota, mostly worn by wrestlers, is a

sewn Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabri ...

undergarment which covers the

buttocks The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed ...

and

groin In human anatomy, the groin (the adjective is ''inguinal'', as in inguinal canal) is the junctional area (also known as the inguinal region) between the abdomen and the thigh on either side of the pubic bone. This is also known as the medial comp ...

. A kaupina, mostly worn by ascetics or by older men in many parts of India, is a similar but unsewn garment that does not cover the buttocks and instead it passes between the buttocks.

Major Martial Arts Akharas

The major traditional Indian-origin martial arts akhara, mostly focused on

and

Pehlwani Pehlwani, (पहलवानी) also known as Kushti, is a form of wrestling contested in South Asia. It was developed in the Mughal Empire by combining Persian Koshti pahlevani with influences from native Indian Malla-yuddha. The words '' ...

, by state include: *

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...

In terms of national and international medals, Haryana is India's power house for the power sports due to its culture's focus on hard work, soldiery and sportsmanship. **Ch. Bharat Singh Memorial Sports School
at Nidani village in

Jind district Jind district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Jind town is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is part of Hisar Division and was created in 1966. During the Sikh Empire, Jind lies in the heart o ...

. ** Narayan Akhara & Yog Samiti at

Khanda, India Khanda is a historical village in Sonipat district of Haryana, India. It is from Kharkhoda and from Sonipat. It is a part of the National Capital Region. Khanda has two Gram Panchayats ''Khanda Khas'' & ''Khanda Alman''. Two Sarpanchs elects ...

** Ch. Pratap Singh Memorial Samiti Akhara
at Kharkhoda.Adopt a akhara scheme
/ref> ** CCHAU Giri Center Akhara for Girls and Boys
at CCSHAU Giri Center in Hisar. ** Hindu Public School Akhara for Girls and Boys
at Chaudhariwas village of

Hisar district Hisar district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana, India. Hisar city serves as the district headquarters. Hisar district has four sub-divisions that is, Hisar, Barwala, Hansi and Narnaud, each headed by an SDM. The district is also part of H ...

, in collaboration with Mahavir Phogat.Phogat to launch Hisar wrestling nursery on Feb 15, India Timea, 15 Feb 2017
/ref> ** Guru Ganga Ram Akhara
at Hansi ** Guru Haripal Akhara
at Gurgaon, other akharas in the city are at Tripari, Sohna, Nathupur, Daultabad, Badshahpur and FarukhnagarGurgaon akharas
** Guru Leelu Akhara,
at Ladpur in

Jhajjar district Jhajjar district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Carved out of Rohtak district on 15 July 1997 and with its headquarters in Jhajjar, it lies from Delhi and had developed into an important industrial center. Othe ...

.Guru Leelu Akhara
/ref> ** Guru Shyam Lal Akhara,
at Arjangarh village of Gurgaon. ** Hanuman akhara
at Hisar. ** Lala Diwanchand Modern Wrestling Centre
at Chara village in

** Mahabir Stadium Akhara for Girls and Boys at

Mahabir Stadium Mahavir Stadium, built in 1972, is a multipurpose sports complex located in Hisar city of Haryana, India. It has second largest capacity in Haryana, after the Shah Satnam Ji Cricket Stadium in Sirsa which has a higher capacity of 35,000 specta ...

in Hisar. ** Mahavir Singh Phogat Akhara for Girls and Boys,
at

Balali Balali is a village in the Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana State, India. Notable personalities * Mahavir Singh Phogat, Dronacharya Awardee, father and mentor of the famous Phogat sisters — his four daughters Geeta, Babita, Ritu, and ...

village of Charkhi Dadri district, founded by

Mahavir Singh Phogat Mahavir Singh Phogat is an Indian amateur wrestler, senior Olympics coach and politician. He is the trainer and father of the Phogat sisters. The Hindi biographical film '' Dangal'' is loosely based on his life. Phogat was awarded the Dronac ...

, the father and coach of Olympian

Geeta Phogat Geeta Phogat (born 15 December 1988) is a freestyle wrestler who won India's first ever gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. She is also the first Indian female wrestler to have qualified for the Olympic Summer Games. Pe ...

and

Babita Kumari Babita Kumari Phogat (born 20 November 1989) is an Indian wrestler, who won the gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games. She also won silver medals at 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wres ...

, inspired from their hard work with help of its story line Amir Khan made a movie and made crores out of it Dangal ** Purn Giri Akhara at Shamsukh village in

. ** Tau Devi Lal Stadium Akhara for Girls and Boys at

Tau Devi Lal Stadium Tau Devi Lal Stadium is a multi-purpose sports complex located in Gurgaon within the state of Haryana, India. The Tau Devi Lal Football Stadium has a capacity of 12,000 and the Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium has a capacity of 7,000. The site cu ...

in Gurgaon. *

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

** Parashurama Akhara * Maharashtra ** Motibag Akhara, Gnagavesh Akhara, Shahupuri Akhara, ,Kolhapur , established by rajashri

Shahu of kolhapur Shahu (also known as Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu, Shahu IV, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, Kolhapur's Shahu) (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922) of the Bhonsle dynasty of Marathas was a Raja (reign. 1894 – 1900) and the first Maharaja (1900–1922) of ...

** Chinchechi Talim Akhara,
at Shukrawar Peth or Pune, founded by ''Mhaskaji Damodar Pandit'' in 1773 during the

Peshwa The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); later ...

rule of

Narayan Rao Narayanrao Bhat (10 August 1755 – 30 August 1773) was the 10th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy from November 1772 until his assassination in August 1773. He married Gangabai Sathe who later gave birth to Sawai Madhavrao. Early life Narayanra ...

. ** Devlachi Talim Akara,
at Mahatma Phule Peth in Pune, founded by

Samarth Ramdas Samarth Ramdas (c. 1608 - c. 1681), also known as Sant Ramdas or Ramdas Swami, was an Indian Hindu saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master. He was a devotee of the Hindu deities Rama and Hanuman. Early life Ramdas or previously N ...

in the 16th century.Top 10 Indian akhara training centres, ScoopWhoop
/ref> ** Hanuman Vyayam Prasark Mandal,
founded in 1914 at

Amravati Amravati (pronunciation ( help·info)) is the second largest city in the Vidarbha region and ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India. It is administrative headquarters of Amravati district and Amravati division which includes Akola, Buld ...

.Akhara praised by Gandhi lies unsung on its centenary in Amravati, DNA News, 1-May-2012
/ref> ** Shree Laxminarayan Vyayam Shala,
founded in the 1930s at Arthur Road in Mumbai. *

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Ho ...

** Chandgi Ram Akhara,
founded by master

Chandgi Ram Chandgi Ram (9 November 1937 – 29 June 2010), often referred to as Master Chandgi Ram, was a freestyle wrestler from India. He won gold medal in the 1970 Asian Games and represented India in the 1972 Summer Olympics. Along with amateur wrestl ...

in 1975, first women's wrestling akhara in India. ** Chhatrasal Akhara,
at Chhatrasal Stadium. ** Guru Hanuman Akhara,
founded by Guru Hanuman in 1925 at Maujpur.Guru hanuman akhara
/ref> ** Guru Jasram Ji Akhara,
founded in the mid 20th century. ** Guru Rajkumar Goswami Akhara *

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

** Ranjit Akhara,
founded by

Guru Hargobind Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...

(1595-1644 CE) at

Akal Takht The Akal Takht ("Throne of the Timeless One") is one of five takhts (seats of power) of the Sikhs. It is located in the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The Akal Takht (originally called Akal Bunga) was built by ...

in Amritsar. *

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

** Akali Nihang Baba Darbara Singh Sanatan Suraj Bansia Shastar Vidiya Shiv Akhara,
founded in 1661 for the

Nihang The Nihang or Akali (lit. "the immortals") is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihang are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and the attire he wore or from the "Akali" (lit. Army of the Immort ...

martial arts, such as gatka.Ranjit Akhara
/ref>
/ref> *

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

** Goswami Tulsidas Akshara,
at Varanasi, said to be founded by the

Tulsidas Tulsidas (; born Rambola Dubey; also known as Goswami Tulsidas; c.1511pp. 23–34.–1623) was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but ...

(1497/1532 ��1623)Fight clubs of varanasi, The Hindu Business Line, 7 Nov 2014
/ref> ** Shivalay Pehalwanji ka Akhara,
at Mathura. *

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

** Agastmuni Akhara *

Orissa Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...

** Paika akhada *

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...

** Nashipur Akhara

Shashtra Monastic Akhara

Front facade of Naya Udasin Akhara, Kankhal

Shastra ''Shastra'' (, IAST: , ) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'zAstra'' The wo ...

'' (Sanskrit and Hindi: शास्त्र) means treatise, scriptures or the school of thoughts based on those. There has been a long monastic tradition of obtaining "Shashtra Vidhya" (knowledge of Sashtras) in various

schools of thoughts in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

, where disciples could learn one or more of the following in a monastic setting:

Hindu scriptures Hindu texts are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. A few of these texts are shared across these traditions and they are broadly considered Hindu scriptures. These ...

, Yoga Sashtra,

Vastu shastra ''Vastu shastra'' ( hi, वास्तु शास्त्र, ' – literally "science of architecture") is a traditional Indian system of architecture based on ancient texts that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, groun ...

(architecture),

Vaimānika Shāstra The ''Vaimānika Śāstra'' (, lit. " shastra on the topic of Vimanas"; or "science of aeronautics", sometimes also rendered ''Vimanika, Vymanika, Vyamanika'') is an early 20th-century text in Sanskrit. It makes the claim that the '' vimānas'' ...

(ancient aerospace technology),

Jyotiḥśāstra A ' is a text from a classical body of literature on the topic of Hindu astrology, known as , dating to the medieval period of Classical Sanskrit literature (roughly the 3rd to 9th centuries CE) Only the most important ones exist in scholarly ed ...

(astrology), Nadi Sashtra (fortune telling), Rasa shastra (medicine), Shilpa Shastras (arts and craft), Natya Shastra (dance, drama and performing arts),Art and Culture: Painting and Perspective, Volume 2, Ahsan Jan Qaisar, Som Prakash Verma.2002
/ref>

Tantra Tantra (; sa, तन्त्र, lit=loom, weave, warp) are the esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism that developed on the Indian subcontinent from the middle of the 1st millennium CE onwards. The term ''tantra'', in the Indian ...

Para Vidya Parā Vidyā (Sanskrit: परा विद्या) is a combination of two words – ''parā'', in Hindu philosophy, means - existence, paramount object, the highest point or degree, final beatitude; and ''vidyā'' means - knowledge, phil ...

(Higher scholar), Madhu-vidya (knowledge of bliss), and so on.

Organization of Monastic Akhara

According to some texts, an akhara is governed by the sacred body of five ''Sri Pancha'' and organized into 52

Matha A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

(Sanskrit: मठ) or ''Marhi'' (Hindi: मढ़ी). Many assume 52 ''Marhi'' to refer to 52 lineages but they refer to 52 Desas (countries). These 52 Marhis are divided into 8 ''Davas'' corresponding to 8 directions. The maths are permanent centres of monastic practice with physical structures, led by a ''mahant'' or spiritual leader. Though not all akharas follow this structure, mainly due to the insufficient size. For example, smaller akhara, some as small as having only one marhi, may be set up either as a subsidiary affiliate to a larger and more established older akhara group or occasionally an independent akhara due to the disagreements over succession. Akharas can march as subsidiary akhara under the current preferential order of sequence in the ''Shahi Snan'' during ''Kumbh Mela'' or they are given the last place if their claim for the independent akhara is approved by the authorities.

Sri Pancha

According to the texts, the top administrative body of each of the akhara is the ''Sri Pancha'' (sacred body of five), representing

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and r ...

and

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

. It is elected by consensus from among the

Mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of a ...

s of

or ''Marhi'' (Sanskrit: मठ and Hindi: ''मढ़ी '') that make up an akhara on every

Kumbha Mela Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela () is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: Allahabad (G ...

and the body holds its post for 4 years. It is a concept similar to centuries-old Indian republican consensual elective system of

Panchayat The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical men ...

(at an individual village level) and

Khap A Khap is a community organisation representing a clan or a group of North Indian castes or clans. They are found mostly in northern India, particularly among the Jat people of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but also amongst other states like Raj ...

(grouping of the related villages within a union). Among the five elected ''Sri Pancha'' of the akhara, they hold the following positions in the decreasing order of seniority, all of which can be considered

in their own right: * Acharya Mahamandaleshwara, the Great leader and Teacher of the spiritual order of the God * Mahamandaleshwara, the senior divisional leader of the spiritual order of the God * Mandaleshwara, the divisional leader of the spiritual order of the God * Sri Mahant, the senior spiritual leader *

, the spiritual leader or master. Each

(marhi) within the akhara is governed by a

mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of a ...

Sampradaya-based Classification of Akharas

A young boy practising, Gatka, SIkh martial art

At highest level, ''akhara'' are classified into one of the four different

(philosophical denominations) based on their traditional systems:Akharas At Simhastha Kumbha Mela Ujjain, 17-Jan-201
/ref> Each sampradaya has several paramparas (lineages), each started by a

based on the guru-shishya tradition. The subsidiary status is as per the traditional ''Shahi Snan'' preferential sequence of procession, though time to time several subsidiary akharas have unsuccessfully tried with authorities to have this sequence altered as the number of their followers grew. outh Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora, Knut A. Jacobsen, ISBN hardback 978-0-415-4373-3, ISBN ebook ISBN hardback 978-0-203-93059-5/ref> Initially there were only 4 akharas based on the sampradaya (sect), which have split into subsidiary akharas due to differences in the leadership and expansion in the followership. In January 2019, there were 13 akharas that are allowed to participate in Prayagraj Kumbh Mela and they have formed the

with 2 representatives from each of the 13 akharas to manage the akhara-related affairs across all kumb melas and across the nations.Akharas and their history
Amarujala, 18 Jan 2019. * A. Sanyasi Akhara (Hindi: सन्यासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

. Examples of these akharas include the
1. Niranjani Akhara and its subsidiary 2. Ananda Akhara,
3. Juna Akhara and its subsidiaries 4. Avahan Akhara and 5. Agni Akhara.
6. Pari Akhara, an exclusive akhara of female sadahavi (saints), was included in Prayagraj Kumbh for the first time starting from 2013 as a subsidiary akhara of one of the existing akhara.
7 * B. Vairagi Akhara, also Bairagi Akhara (Hindi: बैरागी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

. Examples of such akharas include the
8.

Mahanirvani Akhara Mahanirvani Akhara or Shri Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani (श्री पंचायती अखाड़ा महानिर्वाणी in Sanskrit and Hindi) is a Shaivite shastradhari (spiritual script bearer) Akhada. It is one of th ...

(or simply ''Nirvani'') and its subsidiaries 9. Atal Akhara,
10.

Nirmohi Akhara Nirmohi Akhara (English: "Group without Attachment")Who Are the Nirmohi ...

and 11. Digambar akhara, and 12.

Khalsa Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,Kha ...

akharas. * C. Udasi Akhara (Hindi: उदासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

(with sikh practices). Examples of such akharas include the
13. Nirmal Akhara. * D. Kalpwasis akhara (Hindi: कल्पवासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

, generally ordinary people who are temporarily living the austere life during the Kumbh Mela to mimic Vanaprastha (Sanskrit: वनप्रस्थ) "retiring into a forest" stage of later life. In that sense kalpwasi akhara is a temporary akhara of no fixed ongoing organisation or leadership.

Still-extant Ancient Akharas

The still-extant seven Shastradhari or monastic Hindu akhara founded by the 8th-century philosopher

(also the founder of four

Mathas A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

) can be classified, in terms of affiliation and the number of followers, as three major akharas, three minor akharas under major akharas and one smaller akhara under the major akhara: The akhara with the most

is ''Juna Akhara'', followed by ''Niranjani Akhara'' and ''Mahanirvani Akhara''. Among these, today, three are considered major akhara (Juna, Niranjani and Mahanirvani) and three minor akhara (Avahan affiliated with Juna, Ananda affiliated with Niranjani and Atal affiliated with Mahanirvani). The 7th, small Brahmachari (celibate) akhara named Agni is also affiliated with Juna Akhara.

Akharas Today

There are numerous other still-extant akharas, founded by the disciples of the existing akharas, that are usually loosely or directly aligned under one of the existing akhara lineage. The

(ABAP) (Hindi: अखिल भारतीय अखाड़ा परिषद, transliterated as All India Akhara Council), founded in 1954,Tussle between Akhara members, WebDuniya
/ref> is the apex organisation of 13 akharas of

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(saints) and

Sadhu ''Sadhu'' ( sa, साधु, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female)), also spelled ''saddhu'', is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. ...

s (ascetics) representing the largest followership in

. These are entitled to the special privilege of the ''Shahi Snan'' at Kumbh Mela and

Ujjain Simhastha Ujjain Simhastha is a Hindu religious mela held every 12 years in the Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh, India. The name is also transliterated as ''Sinhastha'' or ''Singhastha''. In Hindi, the fair is also called ''Simhasth'' or ''Sinhasth'' (due ...

mela in a pre-determined sequence.

Akharas Sequence At Kumbh Mela's Shahi Snan

The monastic akhara and their Sri Pancha of various sects meet during the

. The Naga sadhu and the various akhara traditionally lead and initiate the bathing rituals before the general population steps in.Kumbha Mela
''Students' Britannica India'', by Dale Hoiberg, Indu Ramchandani. Published by Popular Prakashan, 2000. .''Page 259-260''.Maha Kumbh
''Mahakumbh: The Greatest Show on Earth'', by J.S. Mishra. Published by Har-Anand Publications, 2007. . ''Page 21''. The order of procession is # Mahanirvani akhara with Atal akhara, # Niranjani akhara with Anand akhara, # Juna akhara with Ahvahan and Agni akhara, # Nirvani akhara, # Digambar akhara, # Normohi akhara, # Naya Udasin akhara, # Bada Udasin akhara, and # Nirmal akhara.

Notes

References

{{Indian martial arts Indian martial arts Hindu monasticism 547 establishments 6th-century establishments in India

Etymology

History

Foundation dates of martial akharas

Historical timeline

Akharas within Guru–Shishya traditional Sampradaya-Paramparas

Two types of Akhara: Shashtradhari and Astradhari

Astra Martial Arts Akhara

Dangal

Langot

Major Martial Arts Akharas

Shashtra Monastic Akhara

Organization of Monastic Akhara

Sri Pancha

Sampradaya-based Classification of Akharas

Still-extant Ancient Akharas

Akharas Today

Akharas Sequence At Kumbh Mela's Shahi Snan

See also

Notes

Further reading

References