Mamta Kulkarni’s Mahamandaleshwar leap triggers war in akhara

PRAYAGRAJ: Anointing film actress Mamta Kulkarni as a Mahamandeleshwar by the Kinnar Akhara led to a war of words when Rishi Ajaydas, who claims to be the founding member of the akhara, removed Acharya Mahamandeleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi, from the post. Tripathi hit back immediately questioning the locus standi of Ajaydas, claiming that he was not even a member of the akhara.
Ajaydas posted a letter on social media dated Jan 30 on Friday saying that the action against Tripathi was taken for making Mamta Kulkarni Mahamandeleshwar of the akhara. "The process defied the rules and regulations for anointing someone to the post," said Ajaydas who heads an ashram in Hasampura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
"Tripathi did not do any religious work or anything that could uplift the Kinnar society. Rather, making an actress the Mahamandeleshwar, and that, too, a person who left the country as a traitor, forced me to take this action," said Rishi Ajaydas while talking to TOI on the phone. Das claimed that he founded the akhara in Ujjain Kumbh, way back in 2016.
Also known as Computer Baba, Das was also the coordinator of Kinnar Akhara during Simhastha (Ujjain Kumbh), 2016 and had invited a number of celebs in the first appearance of Kinnar Akhara in any Kumbh. Kinnar Akhara then merged with the Juna Akhara in 2019. Das also said that the contract signed by Tripathi merging Kinnar Akhara with Juna Akhara was unconstitutional and standood no ground. In fact, it amounted to forgery done by Tripathi, he added.
However, Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi termed Ajay Das's letter as 'a piece of trash'. "He is not even a member of the akhara, which was registered by me, and a letter issued by him deserves nothing more than a dustbin," said Tripathi. "Since he is not a member of the akhara, what ground does he stand on to issue such a letter," questioned Tripathi. The Acharya Mahamandeleshwar has also said that legal action would be taken against Das for circulating a letter which has baseless allegations.
Commenting on the developments, the international spokesperson of the Juna Akhara, Mahamandeleshwar Narain Giri, said, "Kinnar Akhara is part of Juna Akhara, and Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi is the Acharya Mahamandeleshwar of the said akhara as far as our opinion is concerned."
When asked about how correct it was to anoint Mamta Kulkarni as a Mahamandeleshwar, the spokesperson said, "It is up to the head of Kinnar Akhara to decide who to make Mahamandaleshwar, and Ajaydas has absolutely no say in the affairs of the Kinnar Akhara."
In addition to this, Mahant Durga Das, who also claims to be the founder member of Kinnar Akhara, said, "One individual cannot overthrow the Acharya Mahamandeleshwar from the post. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, was, is and will remain the head of the Kinnar Akhara."