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This is an archive article published on February 13, 2025
Why are Sikhs taking holy dips at Mahakumbh?
Three of the 13 akharas at the ongoing Mahakumbh are associated with Sikhism.
Many devotees from Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country have visited all the 13 akharas. (PTI)
At the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, a nagar kirtan accompanied by a gurbani kirtan and a gatka performance was organised on January 11, marking the presence of the Nirmla Akhara, one of the three Sikh-related akharas (spiritual orders) that are part of the world’s largest religious gathering.
Many Sikh followers visit the three akharas and take holy dips at the sangam, according to Nirmal Akhara followers in Punjab. The other Sikh-related akharas are the Bada (large) Udaseen Akhara and the Naya (new) Udaseen Akhara. Udaseen means neutral.
These akharas follow the teachings of Guru Nanak and are guided by the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism. The Udaseen Akhara was established by Baba Sri Chand, son of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Guru of Sikhs. The Nirmala Akhara has centres in various parts of Punjab and elsewhere in the country. The sadhus here revere Hindu scriptures—such as the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads—as well as the Guru Granth Sahib. Although the akharas bid farewell to the Mahakumbh on February 3, the Kumbh Mela will continue until February 26.
On January 29, Harnam Singh Dhumma, chief of Damdami Taksal, an organisation that teaches Sikh faith, visited the Mahakumbh to take a holy dip. He said that certain Sikh traditions, particularly those belonging to the Udaseen and Nirmala Akharas, participate in the Kumbh.
Dhumma was invited by both akharas and the Uttar Pradesh government, as he said Damdami Taksal holds significant value and has no animosity towards any religion. As the Sikh Youth Federation (Bhindranwale) objected to his visit, Dhumma also said that Sikh gurus had visited Prayagraj and Kashi.
Navtej Singh Namdhari from the Namdhari sect of Sikhs said, “Guru Gobind Singhji had sent Sikhs to Kashi to study and they were called Nirmale—the highly educated Sikhs. So Nirmala Akhara represents those followers.” He added that the Namdhari sect had also set up a shivir at the Mahakumbh and that several devotees from Namdhari sect have taken holy dips.
Many devotees from Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country have visited all the 13 akharas, said Suba Amrik Singh, also from the Namdhari sect, emphasising the need to understand the history of Sikh akharas. The Sikhs organised a langar at the Mahakumbh from January 13 to February 6, just as they did during the pran pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya last year, he added.
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In 2013, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee set up a stall at the Allahabad (now Prayagraj) Kumbh Mela, featuring literature related to Sikhism in Hindi and Punjabi, along with a photo exhibition and a langar. At that time, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar faced criticism but he said the critics need to study history first.
Davinder Shastri, the Haridwar-based head of the Nirmala Akhara, said, “The Nirmala Akhara is connected to the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. All those who believe in this akhara came to the Mahakumbh from across the country. Sikhs were in large numbers, and people from the Hindu religion also follow the akhara. The Mahakumbh is still ongoing, so followers must be taking holy dips even now. We returned on February 3.”
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