Magh Mela row: Swami Avimukteshwaranand leaves without taking holy dip

Prayagraj: Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand on Wednesday morning left the ongoing Magh Mela and departed from Prayagraj for Kashi, ending his stay without taking a holy dip at the Sangam.

This is the first time that after arriving at the Magh Mela, the Shankaracharya returned without performing the ritual bath.

His decision came after an alleged dispute with police and administrative officials on Mauni Amavasya, following which he did not go to the Sangam for the holy dip and stayed away from his camp. For the next several days, he continued a sit-in protest outside the camp. On Wednesday, the 11th day of the protest, he announced his decision to leave the fair.

According to his aides, the decision was taken after late-night discussions with supporters on Tuesday. Before leaving the Magh Mela, the Shankaracharya addressed a press conference and said he had come to Prayagraj with faith and devotion but was returning with a heavy heart.

“We protested against injustice and are waiting for justice. People come to Prayag seeking spiritual peace, but today I am leaving with a pain I never imagined. What happened here has shaken my soul and raised questions on justice and humanity,” he said.

He said bathing at the Sangam was not merely a religious ritual but a path to inner fulfilment. “Today my heart is so distressed that I am leaving this resolve incomplete. When the heart is filled with anguish and remorse, even the sacred waters lose their meaning,” he said.

The Shankaracharya also revealed that the administration had sent a proposal offering to facilitate a ceremonial bath with officials present and flower showers.

He said he rejected the offer as it did not include an apology for the incident that triggered his protest. “If I had accepted it, the core issue for which I sat on the pavement for ten days would have remained unresolved. It would have been an insult to my followers,” he said.