Juna Akhara expels mahant for accepting girl, 13, as ‘donation’

AGRA: Juna akhara, the largest Hindu monastic order in India, has expelled mahant Kaushal Giri for seven years after he accepted a 13-year-old girl as "donation" from her family and initiated her as a sadhvi (monk) before the Kumbh Mela's first bathing ritual. The akhara's senior office bearers said the girl was returned to her family in Agra on Friday evening and they have now set a minimum age limit of 22 years for initiating women as sanyasins.

Giri, however, claimed that the girl's father willingly offered his daughter to the Akhara, citing her desire to renounce worldly life. "Her parents had no objections. After completing the Dharmadhwaja and Pindadaana rituals, she would formally embrace sainthood," Giri said.

The incident sparked objections from top saints and a meeting of senior Akhara officials, including patron saint Srimahant Giri, spokesperson Narayan Giri, fair in-charge Mohan Bharti, and others, was convened to address the issue. They unanimously decided to expel Giri for violating "ethical and legal" norms.

"The girl is a minor, and this was unacceptable. We decided that she should be sent back home. While we will adopt an abandoned infant if found, we will not induct women under 22 years of age under normal circumstances. The age limit ensures that a girl seeking sainthood is mature enough to make an informed decision. Children cannot be housed in our camps, and we have requested the authorities concerned to intervene and ensure such incidents do not happen again," spokesperson Narayan Giri said.

An Akhada official said that according to the rules, a minor's parents must first provide an initial consent document for her to become a sanyasin. After six months, a final consent document is required, along with the minor's consent, to ensure that the decision is not made impulsively or in anger.

The girl's father, who owns a sweets shop in Agra, brought her and her sister to Prayagraj on Dec 26, where they assisted in camp services under Giri's guidance at the Juna Akhara camp in Sector 20. Their relatives said their devotion to Giri began over three years ago, and they trusted him completely.

The girl's mother, a housemaker, said their association with Giri started when he conducted religious discourses at the Kali Maa temple in their village. "His narration of the Bhagavad Gita influenced us deeply, and we decided to attend the Maha Kumbh because of our devotion to him," she said.

However, the girl's grandfather, 65-year-old Rohtan Singh Dhakre, opposed the decision. "She is not of appropriate age for this. We were unaware of her joining the Akhara and only found out when the media came to our home," he said. Her grandmother, Radha Devi, added, "She does not live with us, so we were not informed."

Child rights activist Naresh Paras also condemned the incident, labelling a violation of the Juvenile Justice Act. "A child is not a commodity to be donated. Every child aged six to 14 is entitled to free and compulsory education under the Right to Education Act. This action breaches her fundamental rights," Paras said.

Paras has written to the chief justice of the Allahabad high court and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), urging immediate intervention. He added that no Akhara is authorised to accept minors, as they are neither registered educational institutions nor compliant with child protection laws. "If a child is left by their parents, they must be produced before the child welfare committee. The consent of a minor is legally invalid," he said.