Udasin Panchayati Bada Akhara

A panchaiti akhara to act as the main organ of the Udasis had been founded in 1779 at Prayag (Allahabad), with branches based out of Kashi (Varanasi) and Kankhal. In the early 19th century, the Udasi tradition was in a state of decline, thus the akhara was founded to counter-act this trend. During the Indian independence movement, the akhara trained independence fighters, especially the Sultanpur Ashram of the akhara and during the Kumbhs that were held in the 1920s–1930s. == Beliefs and practices ==

The organization venerates Sri Chand, elder son of Guru Nanak, the four sons of Brahma, Ganesh, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Shiva, Bhagwati, and Suryanarayan. They use the term Guru Chandradev to refer to Sri Chand. They venerate Sri Chand in a manner akin to Shaivist worship. They affirm that Vishnu's Treta Yuga incarnation was Rama and his Dwapar Yuga incarnation was Krishna. Sri Chand (whom they called Chandra Dev) is believed by them to be the 165th Acharya of the Udasin sect. They believe Sri Chand was Shiva's incarnation due to a request by Narayana. The group installs a 75-foot flag on the occasion of Kumbh and Mahakumbh melas. Due to mainstream Sikhs opposing their syncretic practices and beliefs, they have heightened security at their camps. While the Nirmala akhara is more Sikh-aligned, the Udasi akhara is more aligned with a syncretism of Sikhism and Hinduism. However, they also recite gurbani. They fly a red flag, featuring an ensign of Hanuman on one side and a chakra on the other. They hold ash in high-regard due to a belief connecting Pritam Das and Baba Bankhandi. The group follows the guru-shishya tradition. To become a naga-sadhu associated with the group, it is required to be between 12 and 24 years old. They must shave their head upon initiation (not required for women and girls) and adorn themselves with earrings, a waistcloth, a necklace, and anklets. Furthermore, they swear a lifetime vow to the akhara and nation on their religious flag and their ishtdeva. They are against caste divisions. == Structure ==

The akhara is governed by a Shree Panch, which is a council of five senior seers, with Sri Chand believed to be the council's witness. The akhara has affiliate branches across India, such as in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Telangana. Furthermore, they operate schools, colleges, and hospitals, and social service camps. Their educational institutions often specialize in Sanskrit. There are at-least a hundred ashrams across India affiliated with the akhara. == References ==