Mahakumbh: Steve Jobs's widow Lauren Powell to stay at camp of 1,700-year-old akhara

When she arrives in Prayagraj to attend the Mahakumbh on January 29, the widow of Steve Jobs, Lauren Powell, is expected to stay at the camp of an akhara that goes back 1,700 years: the Shri Panchayati Taponidhi Niranjani akhara.

Powell, one of the world’s wealthiest women who has vowed to give away all of her foundational wealth, is also the founder of the Emerson Collective, a company that invests in education, the environment and immigration reform. This MBA from the Standford Graduate School of Business has found her fit in an akhara where, by some estimates, 70 per cent of the members are highly educated.

The Niranjani akhara is the second largest of the 13 akharas and was established in Mandvi town in Kutch district of Gujarat.

There are two meanings for the word akhara. One is a distortion of the word akhand, which means undivided or unified; the other is a wrestling pit. In a philosophical sense it is the spiritual core/institution the members of which share the same guru.

Each akhara has a different reigning deity and its own set of rules about how one can be part of its order. A life of celibacy for over a decade is one common rule though the exact number of years may vary.

The Niranjani akhara offers both temporary and permanent initiation to those wanting to join it. The former is for those, like Powell, who continue their worldly duties.

During Powell’s stay at Prayagraj, she will be known by the name ‘Kamala’ which has been given by her guruSwami Kaliashananda, a mahamandaleshwar of the akhara.

To become a member of the Niranjani akhara, an interview is mandatory and a person’s educational qualifications are vetted. The large number of educated members who are part of the akhara have given it unmatched social influence and also wealth.

This wealth was displayed during the ceremonial entry of the akhara into the mela grounds of which chariots with silver seats, camels and elephants were a part.

The akhara’s main centre is Prayagraj, with other significant centres being at Ujjain, Hairdwar, Triyumbakeshwar and Udaipur.

The Niranjani akhara worships Karikeya, the son of Shiv and Parvati. He is the God of war in Hinduism. It is thus an akhara of the Shaiv tradition.

The dharm dhwaj (flag) of the akhara is a bright saffron and is the length of 52 yard. That number is a symbolic representation of the number of shakti peeths- the pilgrimages of feminine power.

At the Niranjani akhara camp, the dhwaj is raised by Naga sadhus. This is different from other akharas where mahamandaleshwars or mahants raise the flag.

Powell’s stay at the Mahakumbh Nagri is termed kalpavas. This is an extended retreat on the banks of a river during which an austere, minimalistic lifestyle is followed. A kalpavasi bathes thrice in the Ganga, eats just once and spends time in prayer and the reading of scriptures.

Sumananand Giri, another Mahamandleshwar of the akhara, has given a call for banning the entry of Muslims into the Prayagraj mela grounds.

The Emerson Collective website describes it as a ‘company that invests in entrepreneurs and innovators driven by purpose and a sense of possibility, working to create a world of abundance for future generations’.

In her letter on the website, Powell writes, “…we must rely on ourselves and we must rely on each other…” This is in consonance with the guiding credo of akharas to collectively serve the cause of Sanatan as a way of life.