Tensions simmer at Prayagraj’s grand Kumbh Mela as Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati mounts a fierce legal defense against a provocative notice from the Mela Authority. His eight-page missive, channeled via counsel, repudiates all charges and seeks urgent retraction.
The authority alleged misuse of the exalted Jagadguru Shankaracharya designation. In a 15-point takedown, the swami’s advocates decry it as a vindictive ploy to humiliate and defame, rooted in bias rather than fact.
Anchored in the testament of Jagadguru Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, the reply chronicles the swami’s ascension. A July 2021 proclamation named him to Jyotish Peeth leadership, honored through October 2022’s opulent rituals at Ganga Ashram—pattabhishek resounding with Vedic hymns before millions.
Falsehoods propagated have sown doubt, inflicting deep wounds to the swami’s financial stability, societal respect, and ceremonial endowments. The document warns of inevitable legal pursuit if the notice persists.
This confrontation spotlights perennial debates on ecclesiastical authority versus state machinery at religious spectacles. With the mela drawing global pilgrims, a swift amicable settlement could prevent further escalation and preserve the event’s sanctity.