Angered by the notice sent by the Magh Mela administration regarding the title of Shankaracharya, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) questioned why the fair administration does not see the board of the second Shankaracharya of Puri in the same Magh Mela.
He said, ‘You (the fair administration) say why is someone who is not Shankaracharya writing about Shankaracharya? Shankaracharya ji of Puri has come to Prayagraj and his camp has also been organized. Near his camp, a board of Puri’s second Shankaracharya Adhokshajanand Dev Teerth Ji Maharaj, Govardhan Peeth Shankaracharya has been installed. How can there be two Shankaracharyas of Puri?
Avimukteshwaranand said, ‘Today the fair administration has given permission to another Shankaracharya to organize a camp to harass the real Shankaracharya of Puri because the real Shankaracharya of Puri speaks religious things.’
What did SP President Akhilesh Yadav say in the matter?
On this notice issue, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav wrote on social media platform X, ‘It is highly condemnable, those asking for certificates should first give their own certificates. No one had thought that the thinking of the divisive BJP and their associates would stoop to this level. BJP is not related to anything except power and money. Even Dasmukhi had no ego left, what will be left of this one Mukhi.
Jyotishpeeth case is pending in Supreme Court: Avimukteshwaranand
Swami Avimukteshwarananda said, ‘He will not receive notice. Notice will be sent to Swami Avimukteshwarananda because Avimukteshwarananda demands cow protection. The reply to the notice will be sent today by e-mail. Also, a notice will be sent to the fair administration asking why they are showing half-baked orders of the Supreme Court. He said, ‘When the Jyotishpeeth case is pending in the Supreme Court, how can the fair administration decide who is a Shankaracharya and who is not.’
He said that first of all, in 1999, there was a case regarding Jyotishpeeth in the District Court of Allahabad, in which the decision was taken that Swami Vasudevanand ji should not work as Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth. Allahabad High Court also said in its decision that Swami Vasudevanand Dandi is not proved to be a Sanyasi.
I was mentioned as Shankaracharya in Mahakumbh 2025
Swami Avimukteshwaranand said, ‘Vasudevanand went to the Supreme Court, from where he did not get any relief, but Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeethadhishwar is definitely written on the board outside his camp. Notice will not be sent to that board because they are not aware of the Supreme Court’s decision on it. He said, ‘I have been mentioned as Jyotishapeethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya along with my photo in the government souvenir of Mahakumbh Prayagraj-2025. At the same time, this fair administration asks why you have put Shankaracharya in front of your name.
Fair administration issued notice to Swami Avimukteshwaranand
The fair administration on Monday (January 19, 2026) issued a notice to Swami Avimukteshwaranand asking how he is promoting himself as the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth, while the Supreme Court has ordered that till the appeal is not disposed of, no religious leader can be consecrated as the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth. Swami Avimukteshwaranand is angry after the fair police and administration allegedly stopped Saraswati from taking a bath on Mauni Amavasya in the Magh Mela and has targeted the fair administration.
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