Akhara or Akhada (

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

: अखाड़ा, romanised: ''Akhāṛā'') is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training, both in the context of Indian martial artists or a ''

sampradaya ''Sampradaya'' (/ səmpɾəd̪ɑjə/,; ), in Indian-origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and transmissi ...

'' monastery for religious renunciates in Guru–shishya tradition.Akharas and Kumbh Mela
''What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith'', by Editors of Hinduism Today, Hinduism Today Magazine Editors. Published by Himalayan Academy Publications, 2007. . ''243-244''. For example, in the context of the Dashanami Sampradaya sect, the word denotes both martial arts and religious monastic aspects of the trident-wielding martial regiment of the renouncing

sadhu ''Sadhu'' (, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female), also spelled ''saddhu'') is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. They are sometimes alternatively ...

Etymology

The term ''akhara'', is a gender-egalitarian term, which means the ''circle'' or more precisely ''the spiritual core'',Carnival of the Soul At India's Maha Kumbh Mela, News Week, Tahir Shah, 3 May 2013
/ref> ''congregation'' or ''league'', hree Essays: Cannibalism, The Kumbh Mela, The Legacy of Arab Science, Tahir Shah, pp.42/ref> it is similar to the Greek-origin word ''academy'' and the English word ''school'', can be used to mean both a physical institution or a group of them which share a common lineage or are under a single leadership, such as the school of monastic thought or the school of martial arts. Unlike the gurukul in which students live and study at the home of a

guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...

, members of an akhara although train under a guru but they do not live a domestic life. Some strictly practice

Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; Sanskrit: Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य) is the concept within Indian religions that literally means "conduct consistent with Brahman" or "on the path of Brahman". Brahmacharya, a discipline of controlling ...

(celibacy) and others may require complete renunciation of worldly life. For example, wrestlers are expected to live a pure life while living at akhara with other fellow wrestlers, refraining from sex and owning few material possessions. In some languages such as Odia the word is officially transcribed as ''akhada'', by way of rendering the flapped sound as a ''d''. The Haryanvi and Khari Boli dialects shorten this to ''khada'' (खाड़ा).

History

Foundation dates of martial akharas

Sir Jadunath Sarkar documented the founding date of various akharas based on a 19the century manuscript provided to him by the Nirvani Akhara of Dashanami Sampradaya. * Shavite martial akharas: Dashanami Sampradaya has 10 akharas, 6 of which are ancient akharas. The manuscript cited by Sarkar details the

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

of head of 6 akharas. According to this manuscript, the six military akharas were founded in the following years, Dashanami military kharas had prohibition against eating meat or taking of narcotics:David N. Lorenzen, 2006
Who Invented Hinduism: Essays on Religion in History
Yoda Press, p.51-65. # 547 CE, Avahan Akhara # 646 CE, Atal Akhara # 749 CE, Nirvani Akhara # 904 CE, Niranjani Akhara # 1146 CE, Juna Akhara which was originally called "Bhairavi Akhara" # 1856 CE, Anand Akhara * Vaishnavite akharas: Followers of Vaishnavism are also called Bairagi or Vairagi. Among the Bairagi, those who became part of the military akharas were organised in the 7 akharas founding dates of most of which are unclear. Each of the akhara accepted members from all 4 sects of Vaishnavism. Bairagi military akharas generally did not follow the prohibition against eating meat or taking of narcotics. Vaishnavism has following four major sects and 7 martial akharas: ** subsects or paramparas *** Sri founded by Ramananda *** Brahma founded by Madhava *** Rudra founded by Vishnusuvamin *** Sanakadi founded by Nimbarka ** Martial akharas - total 7: # Dadupanthis: Armed martial akharas were first likely formed by the Dadupantji guru Jait Sahib (1693–1734 CE) when he recruited armed Naga

s. In 1733, Dadupanthis were tax-paying farmers in

Jaipur State The Kingdom of Amber, later the Kingdom of Jaipur or the Jaipur State, was located in the north-eastern historic Dhundhar region of Rajputana and was ruled by the Kachwaha Rajput dynasty. The kingdom was established by Dulha Rai, possibly t ...

and martial naga sadhus used employed to enforce the payment of taxes. In 1793, Dadupanthis and Jaipur State had an agreement under which Dadhupanthis provided 5000 armed soldier sadhus to defend the Jaipur State. During the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

, Dadupanthis acted as auxiliaries who assisted the East India Company forces.

Historical timeline

In its earliest usage, ''akhara'' referred to training halls for professional fighters. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye translates the term as "military regiment". Ancient use of the word can be found in the ''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

'' (c. 400 BCE text describing 900 BCE era) epic which mentions Jarasandha's Akhara at Rajgir. Legendary figures like

Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Virarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindu tradition holds him to be the destroyer of the evil on Earth. According t ...

and Agastya are credited as the founders of the early martial akhara in certain regions of India. Svinth (2002) traces press ups and squats used by South Asian wrestlers to the pre-classical era. Many of the popular sports mentioned in the

Vedas FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...

and the epics have their origins in military training, such as boxing (''

musti-yuddha Musti-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मुष्टि युद्ध) is a traditional combat sport originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term literally means "fist combat", from the Sanskrit words ''muṣṭi'' (fist) and ''yuddha'' (fight, battle, ...

''), wrestling (''maladwandwa''), chariot-racing (''rathachalan''), horse-riding (''aswa-rohana'') and archery (''dhanurvidya''). When the 8th-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya (788–820 CE) founded the Dashanami Sampradaya, he divided the ascetics into two categories: Shastradhari (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

: शास्त्रधारी, lit. scripture-bearers) intelligentsia and Astradhari (

: अस्त्रधारी, lit. weapon-bearers) warriors. Shankaracharya established Naga sadhus as an astradhari armed order. He also popularised the Char Dhams during the reign of Katyuri dynasty of Garhwal Kingdom., p.26 In 904 CE and 1146 CE, Niranjani Akhara and Juna Akhara were founded respectively. In 1567 CE, Jogis (Giris) and Sannyasi (Puris) battled each other as detailed in the Tabaqat-i-Akbari, both are 2 of the 10 orders of Dashanami Akhara. Puris were outnumbered by 200 to 500 by Jogis,

Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...

asked his soldiers to smear ash and join Puris to help them, this led to the victory of Puris, In 1657/1672 CE, Satnami revellion against Aurangzeb's persecution of Non-Muslims. In 1664 CE, Dashanami Akhara possibly battled

Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...

. In 1690 CE and 1760 CE, Akharas of Saivites and Vaishnava sects fought each other at Nashik mela (60,000 died) and Haridwar mela (1,800 died). In 1770-1820 CE, during Sannyasi rebellion against

Company rule in India Company rule in India (also known as the Company Raj, from Hindi , ) refers to regions of the Indian subcontinent under the control of the British East India Company (EIC). The EIC, founded in 1600, established its first trading post in India ...

, Akharas played a key role specially the Dashanami akhara. In 1780 CE, the East India Company administration establish the sequence of order of procession for royal bathing by the akharas at

Kumbh Mela Kumbh Mela (, ; ) is an important Hinduism, Hindu pilgrimage, celebrated approximately every 6 or 12 years, correlated with the partial or full orbital period, revolution of Jupiter. It is the largest peaceful gathering of people in the w ...

to eliminate disputes. In 2018, the Kinnar Akhara was established by the hijra(transgender) community. It is under the Juna Akhada (Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhada). Today, akhara may be used for religious purposes or for the teaching of

yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...

and martial arts. Some of the noted Akhara organizations include Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (All India Akhara Council), Nirmohi Akhara, and Shri Dattatreya Akhara.

Akharas within Guru–Shishya traditional Sampradaya-Paramparas

Sampradaya ''Sampradaya'' (/ səmpɾəd̪ɑjə/,; ), in Indian-origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and transmissi ...

is a particular system of belief and within it a particular

's lineage is called '' parampara''. There are 3 distinct belief-system Sampradayas (Vaishnava, Shaivite and Dashanami sampradaya), each of which follows one of 3 types of Guru–shishya parampara lineage (

Deva Deva may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Deva, List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters, an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monster * Deva, in the 2023 Indian film ''Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefir ...

Rishi In Indian religions, a ''rishi'' ( ) is an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mention in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "gre ...

and Manav parampara), each sampradaya-parampara may have several akharas of shastradhari (intellectuals) or astradhari (warriors), and larger akharas may have own one or more permanent

matha A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

(

: सम्प्रदाय

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

') translated as ‘tradition’, 'spiritual lineage' or a ‘religious system’. It relates to a succession of masters and disciples, which serves as a spiritual channel, and provides a delicate network of relationships that lends stability to a religious identity. ''Sampradaya'' is a body of practice, views and attitudes, which are transmitted, redefined and reviewed by each successive generation of followers. A particular

lineage is called '' parampara''. By receiving diksha (initiation) into the '' guru–shishya traditional'' ''parampara'' of a living guru, one belongs to its proper ''sampradaya''. One cannot become a member by

birth Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...

, as is the case with ''

gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotr ...

'', a seminal, or hereditary,

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...

. In the traditional residential form of education, the shishya remains with his or her guru as a family member and gets the education as a true learner. In some traditions there is never more than one active master at the same time in the same ''guruparamaparya'' (lineage). : Sampradaya: three sampradayas are Vaishnava, Shavite and Advait ::* Vaishnava sampradaya: has 4 major Guru–shishya traditional paramparas ::**

Sri Sampradaya Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vi ...

parampara of guru Ramanujacharya, ::** Madhva Sampradaya parampara of guru

Madhvacharya Madhvacharya (; ; 1199–1278 CE or 1238–1317 CE), also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) school of Vedanta. Madhva called his philosophy ...

, ::** Rudra Sampradaya parampara of guru Viṣṇusvāmī/

Vallabhacharya Vallabha, also known as Vallabhācārya or Vallabha Dīkṣita (May 7, 1478 – July 7, 1530 CE), was the founder of the Kr̥ṣṇa-centered Puṣṭimārga sect of Vaishnavism, and propounded the philosophy of Śuddhādvaita. His biography ...

::** Kumara sampradaya parampara of guru

Nimbarka Nimbarka, also known as Nimbarkacharya, Nimbaditya or Niyamananda, was a Hindu philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the theology of Svabhavika Bhedabheda, Dvaitādvaita (dvaita–advaita) or dualistic–non-dualistic sometimes kn ...

::* Shaivite sampradaya: has 6 major Guru–shishya traditional paramparas ::** Nandinatha Sampradaya parampara of guru

Tirumular Tirumular, also known as Suntaranāthar, was a Tamil people, Tamil Shaivite mystic and writer, considered one of the sixty-three poet-saints called the Nayanars, and is listed among a group of 18 sages called the Siddhars. His magnum opus, the ...

(now known as Siddha Sampradaya of

Shaiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () is a form of Shaivism popular in a pristine form in Tamilnadu and Sri Lanka and in a Tantrayana syncretised form in Vietnam and Indonesia (as Siwa Siddhanta). It propounds a devotional philosophy with the ultimate goal of e ...

) ::** Meykandar Sampradaya parampara of guru Meykandar (now known as Saiva Adheenams of

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

) ::** Adinath Sampradaya parampara of guru

Matsyendranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhism, Buddhist and Hinduism, Hindu traditions. He is considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as we ...

and Gorakshanath (now known as Nath Sampradaya of Siddha Siddhanta) ::** Trika Sampradaya (also known as Ragasya Sampradaya and Trayambaka Sampradaya)V. N. Drabu (1990) "Śaivāgamas: A Study in the Socio-economic Ideas and Institutions of Kashmir (200 B.C. to A.D. 700) Indus Publishing parampara of guru Durvasa and Vasugupta who follow

Kashmir Shaivism Kashmir Shaivism tradition is a 20th century umbrella-term for a body of Sanskrit learning, Sanskrit exegetical literature from several Nondualism, non-dualist Shaivism, Shaiva-Shaktism, Shakta Tantra, tantric and Monism, monistic religious t ...

::** Lingayat Sampradaya parampara ::** Srouta Sampradaya parampara ::* Advaita Sampradaya (also known as Ekadandis, currently known as Dashanami Sampradaya): After the decline of Buddhism, a section of the Ekadandis were organized by

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...

in the 8th century in India to be associated with four '' maṭha''s paramparas to provide a base for the growth of Hinduism. Dashanami Sampradaya, "Tradition of Ten Names", is a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

monastic tradition of ''Ekadandi sannyasins'' (wandering renunciates carrying a single staff) generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition. ::** Bhogavala parampara of guru Padmapāda at Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ (

Puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...

in Odisha) ::** Bhūrivala parampara of guru Sureśvara at Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (in Karnataka) ::** Kitavala parampara of guru Hastāmalakācārya at Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ (Dwaraka in Gujrat) ::** Nandavala parampara of guru Toṭakācārya at Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ ( Jyotirmath in Uttrakhand) : Paramparās: 3 types (Daiva, Rishi and Manav) ::Daiva-paramparā ::* Nārāyaṇa ::* Sada Shiva ::* Padmabhuva ( Brahmā) ::Ṛiṣhi-paramparā ::* Vaśiṣṭha ::* Śakti ::* Parāśara ::* Vyāsa ::* Śuka ::Mānava-paramparā ::*

Gauḍapāda Gauḍapāda (Sanskrit: गौडपाद; ), also referred as Gauḍapādācārya (Sanskrit: गौडपादाचार्य; "Gauḍapāda the Teacher"), was an early medieval era Hindu philosopher and scholar of the ''Advaita'' Ve ...

::* Govinda bhagavatpāda ::* Śankara bhagavatpāda, and then Shankara's four disciples ::** Padmapāda ::**

Hastāmalaka Hastamalakacharya (IAST ') (c. 8th century Before Common Era, BCE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita Hindu philosophy, philosopher. He was made the first Jagadguru (''head'') of the Dvaraka Pitha, Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ, the matha, monas ...

::** Toṭaka ::** Vārtikakāra ( Sureśvara) and others

Two types of Akhara: Shashtradhari and Astradhari

When the 8th-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya founded the Dashanami Sampradaya, he divided the ascetics into two categories: * Shastradhari (

: शास्त्रधारी, lit. scripture-bearers) intelligentsia. * Astradhari (

: अस्त्रधारी, lit. weapon-bearers) warriors. This refers to the Naga sadhus (a sub-set of Dashanami Sampradaya), an armed order created by Shankaracharya to act as a Hindu army. These weapon-bearing

sadhus ''Sadhu'' (, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female), also spelled ''saddhu'') is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. They are sometimes alternativel ...

used to serve as a militia and thus were divided into akhara or regiments. Akharas' act of self-defence of turning into armed monasteries of mystics, also led to the unintended consequence of their sectarian fights among themselves turning into violent armed clashes at

s with disastrous consequence including numerous deaths, which diminished only after the East India Company administration limited the warrior role of akharas., pp=57-58. Presently, Naga sadhu still carry weapons, but they rarely practice any form of fighting aside from wrestling.

Astra Martial Arts Akhara

Astra (Hindi: अस्त्र), the weapons or martial arts have a long tradition in India. The oldest recorded organized unarmed fighting art in South Asia is malla-yuddha or combat-wrestling, codified into four forms and pre-dating the

Vedic Period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, between the e ...

. Stories describing

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

report that he sometimes engaged in wrestling matches where he used knee strikes to the chest, punches to the head, hair pulling, and strangleholds. Based on such accounts, Svinth (2002) traces press ups and squats used by South Asian wrestlers to the pre-classical era. In modern usage, ''akhara'' most often denotes a wrestling ground and is typically associated with

kushti The ''kushti'' () also known as kosti, kusti and kustig is the sacred girdle worn by invested Zoroastrians around their waists. Along with the sedreh, the kushti is part of the ritual dress of the Zoroastrians. Origin The Avestan term for ...

. For wrestlers, the akhara serves as a training school and an arena in which to compete against each other. The akhara used by wrestlers still have dirt floors to which water, red ochre, buttermilk and oil are added. Aside from wrestling, other fighting systems are also taught and practiced in akhara, which are commonly named after their founder. Indian martial artists may still practice in regional versions of traditional akhara today, but these are often replaced with modern training studios outside

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Dangal

While akhara is a place where practicing martial artists lodge and train under a martial art guru, akhara is also usually an

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

for the ''dangal'' organised among the competing sports person.Rudraneil Sengupta, 2016
Enter the Dangal: Travels through India's Wrestling Landscape
chapter 1 and 2. While living at akhara, pehlwan practice celibacy, stay smoke free and alcohol free and they eat nutrition tradition diet usually rich in milk,

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia. It is commonly used for cooking, as a Traditional medicine of India, traditional medicine, and for Hinduism, Hindu religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by ...

, dried nuts and roti. ''Dangal'' is Hindi language word which means ''

Sparring Sparring is a form of training common to many combat sports. It can encompass a range of activities and techniques such as punching, kicking, grappling, throwing, wrestling or submission work dependent on style. Although the precise form varies, ...

or competition in akhara, sometimes called "Chhinj" in Punjabi''.meaning of Dangal
, HindiMeaningInd.in. Sparring is a form of

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

common to many

combat sports A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent (''knocko ...

which may vary in its precise form, but it is relatively ' free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely.

Langot

Langot (लंगोट) or langota (लंगोटा), also Kaupinam (कौपिनम) or kaupina (कौपिन), is a traditional style of Indian

loincloth A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and sometimes the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or breechclo ...

for men, worn as

underwear Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled ...

in dangal held in akharas. It is now mainly used by men when exercising and other intense physical games especially

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

, to prevent

hernias A hernia (: hernias or herniae, from Latin, meaning 'rupture') is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. The term is also used for the normal development of the i ...

and

hydrocele A hydrocele is an accumulation of serous fluid in a body cavity. A hydrocele testis, the most common form of hydrocele, is the accumulation of fluids around a testicle. It is often caused by fluid collecting within a layer wrapped around the tes ...

. Langota, mostly worn by wrestlers, is a sewn undergarment which covers the

buttocks The buttocks (: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed of a lay ...

and

groin In human anatomy, the groin, also known as the inguinal region or iliac region, is the junctional area between the torso and the thigh. The groin is at the front of the body on either side of the pubic tubercle, where the lower part of the abdom ...

. A kaupina, mostly worn by ascetics or by older men in many parts of India, is a similar but unsewn garment that does not cover the buttocks and instead it passes between the buttocks.

Major Martial Arts Akharas

The major traditional Indian-origin martial arts akhara, mostly focused on

and

Pehlwani Pehlwani, also known as Kushti, is a form of wrestling contested in the Indian subcontinent. It was developed in the Mughal Empire by combining Persian Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals, Koshti pahlevani with influences from native Indian Malla- ...

, by state include: *

Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...

In terms of national and international medals, Haryana is India's power house for the power sports due to its culture's focus on hard work, soldiery and sportsmanship. **Ch. Bharat Singh Memorial Sports School
at Nidani village in Jind district. ** Narayan Akhara & Yog Samiti at Khanda, India ** Ch. Pratap Singh Memorial Samiti Akhara
at Kharkhoda. ** CCHAU Giri Center Akhara for Girls and Boys
at CCSHAU Giri Center in Hisar. ** Hindu Public School Akhara for Girls and Boys
at Chaudhariwas village of Hisar district, in collaboration with Mahavir Phogat.Phogat to launch Hisar wrestling nursery on Feb 15, India Timea, 15 Feb 2017
/ref> ** Guru Ganga Ram Akhara
at Hansi ** Guru Haripal Akhara
at

Gurgaon Gurgaon (), officially named Gurugram (), is a satellite city of Delhi and administrative headquarters of Gurgaon district, located in the northern Indian state of Haryana. It is situated near the Delhi–Haryana border, about southwest ...

, other akharas in the city are at Tripari, Sohna, Nathupur, Daultabad, Badshahpur and FarukhnagarGurgaon akharas
. ** Guru Leelu Akhara,
at Ladpur in

Jhajjar district Jhajjar district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Carved out of Rohtak district on 15 July 1997 and with its headquarters in Jhajjar, it lies from Delhi and had developed into an important industrial center. Oth ...

.Guru Leelu Akhara
/ref> ** Guru Shyam Lal Akhara,
at Arjangarh village of

. ** Krishan Bhaproda Akhara in Bahadurgarh ** Hanuman akhara
at Hisar. ** Lala Diwanchand Modern Wrestling Centre
at Chara village in

** Mahabir Stadium Akhara for Girls and Boys at Mahabir Stadium in Hisar. ** Mahavir Singh Phogat Akhara for Girls and Boys,
at Balali village of Charkhi Dadri district, founded by Mahavir Singh Phogat, the father and coach of Olympian Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, inspired from their hard work with help of its story line Amir Khan made a movie and made crores out of it Dangal ** Purn Giri Akhara at Shamsukh village in Hisar district. ** Tau Devi Lal Stadium Akhara for Girls and Boys at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in

. *

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

** Parashurama Akhara *

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

** Motibag Akhara, Gnagavesh Akhara, Shahupuri Akhara, Kolhapur, established by rajashri Shahu of kolhapur ** Chinchechi Talim Akhara,
at Shukrawar Peth or Pune, founded by ''Mhaskaji Damodar Pandit'' in 1773 during the

Peshwa The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Empire, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary when Shahu gave t ...

rule of Narayan Rao. ** Devlachi Talim Akara,
at Mahatma Phule Peth in Pune, founded by Samarth Ramdas in the 16th century.Top 10 Indian akhara training centres, ScoopWhoop
/ref> ** Hanuman Vyayam Prasark Mandal,
founded in 1914 at

Amravati Amravati (/Marathi phonology, əmᵊɾɑʋᵊt̪iː/) is a city in Maharashtra located in the Vidarbha region. It is the ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India & second largest city in the Vidarbha region in terms of population. It is the ...

.Akhara praised by Gandhi lies unsung on its centenary in Amravati, DNA News, 1-May-2012
/ref> ** Shree Laxminarayan Vyayam Shala,
founded in the 1930s at Arthur Road in Mumbai. *

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

** Chandgi Ram Akhara,
founded by master Chandgi Ram in 1975, first women's wrestling akhara in India. ** Chhatrasal Akhara,
at Chhatrasal Stadium. ** Guru Hanuman Akhara,
founded by Guru Hanuman in 1925 at Maujpur.Guru hanuman akhara
/ref> ** Guru Jasram Ji Akhara,
founded in the mid 20th century. ** Guru Rajkumar Goswami Akhara *

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

** Ranjit Akhara,
founded by Guru Hargobind (1595-1644 CE) at

Akal Takht The Akal Takht (; ), also spelt as Akal Takhat and historically known as Akal Bunga, is the most prominent of the Takht (Sikhism), five takhts (Seat (legal entity), seats of authority) of the Sikhs. Located within the Golden Temple, Darbar Sah ...

Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...

. *

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand (, ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2007), is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the n ...

** Akali Nihang Baba Darbara Singh Sanatan Suraj Bansia Shastar Vidiya Shiv Akhara,
founded in 1661 for the Nihang martial arts, such as

gatka Gatka (; ; ; ) is a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs of the Punjab and other related ethnic groups, such as Hindkowans and Pahari-Pothwari. It is a style of stick-fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simulate sw ...

.Ranjit Akhara
/ref>
/ref> *

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

** Goswami Tulsidas Akshara,
at Varanasi, said to be founded by the

Tulsidas Rambola Dubey (; 11 August 1511 – 30 July 1623pp. 23–34.), popularly known as Goswami Tulsidas (), was a Vaishnavism, Vaishnava (Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramanandi) Hinduism, Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. H ...

(1497/1532 ��1623)Fight clubs of varanasi, The Hindu Business Line, 7 Nov 2014
/ref> ** Shivalay Pehalwanji ka Akhara,
at Mathura. *

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

** Agastmuni Akhara *

Orissa Odisha (), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is a state located in Eastern India. It is the eighth-largest state by area, and the eleventh-largest by population, with over 41 million inhabitants. The state also has the thir ...

** Paika akhada *

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

** Nashipur Akhara

Shashtra Monastic Akhara

Shastra ''Śāstra'' ( ) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'zAstra'' The word is ge ...

'' (Sanskrit and Hindi: शास्त्र) means treatise, scriptures or the school of thoughts based on those. There has been a long monastic tradition of obtaining "Shashtra Vidhya" (knowledge of Sashtras) in various

schools of thoughts in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

, where disciples could learn one or more of the following in a monastic setting: Hindu scriptures, Yoga Sashtra,

Vastu shastra Originating in ancient India, ''Vastu Shastra'' (, ' – literally "science of architecture") is a traditional Hindu system of architecture based on ancient texts that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, ...

(architecture), Vaimānika Shāstra (ancient aerospace technology), Jyotiḥśāstra (astrology), Nadi Sashtra (fortune telling),

Rasa shastra In Ayurvedic medicine ''rasaśāstra'' (रसशास्त्र), refers to processes by which various metals, minerals and other substances, including most notably mercury, are purified and combined with herbs in an attempt to treat ill ...

(medicine),

Shilpa Shastras ''Shilpa Shastras'' ( ') literally means the Science of Shilpa (arts and crafts).Stella Kramrisch (1958)Traditions of the Indian Craftsman The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 71, No. 281, Traditional India: Structure and Change (Jul. - Sep., ...

(arts and craft),

Natya Shastra The ''Nāṭya Shāstra'' (, ''Nāṭyaśāstra'') is a Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts. The text is attributed to sage Bharata, and its first complete compilation is dated to between 200 BCE and 200 CE, but estimates vary b ...

(dance, drama and performing arts),Art and Culture: Painting and Perspective, Volume 2, Ahsan Jan Qaisar, Som Prakash Verma.2002
/ref>

Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...

Para Vidya Parā Vidyā (Sanskrit: परा विद्या) is a combination of two words – ''parā'', in Hindu philosophy, means - existence, paramount object, the highest point or degree, final beatitude; and ''vidyā'' means - knowledge, philoso ...

(Higher scholar), Madhu-vidya (knowledge of bliss), and so on.

Organization of Monastic Akhara

According to some texts, an akhara is governed by the sacred body of five ''Sri Pancha'' and organized into 52

Matha A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

or ''Marhi'' (Hindi: मढ़ी). Many assume 52 ''Marhi'' to refer to 52 lineages but they refer to 52 Desas (countries). These 52 Marhis are divided into 8 ''Davas'' corresponding to 8 directions. The maths are permanent centres of monastic practice with physical structures, led by a ''mahant'' or spiritual leader. Though not all akharas follow this structure, mainly due to the insufficient size. For example, smaller akhara, some as small as having only one marhi, may be set up either as a subsidiary affiliate to a larger and more established older akhara group or occasionally an independent akhara due to the disagreements over succession. Akharas can march as subsidiary akhara under the current preferential order of sequence in the ''Shahi Snan'' during ''Kumbh Mela'' or they are given the last place if their claim for the independent akhara is approved by the authorities.

Sri Pancha

According to the texts, the top administrative body of each of the akhara is the ''Sri Pancha'' (sacred body of five), representing

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

and

Ganesha Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

. It is elected by consensus from among the Mahants of

Matha A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

or ''Marhi'' (Sanskrit: मठ and Hindi: ''मढ़ी '') that make up an akhara on every Kumbha Mela and the body holds its post for 4 years. It is a concept similar to centuries-old Indian republican consensual elective system of Panchayat (at an individual village level) and Khap (grouping of the related villages within a union). Among the five elected ''Sri Pancha'' of the akhara, they hold the following positions in the decreasing order of seniority, all of which can be considered

in their own right: * Acharya Mahamandaleshwara, the Great leader and Teacher of the spiritual order of the God * Mahamandaleshwara, the senior divisional leader of the spiritual order of the God * Mandaleshwara, the divisional leader of the spiritual order of the God * Sri Mahant, the senior spiritual leader * Mahant, the spiritual leader or master. Each

Matha A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

(marhi) within the akhara is governed by a mahant

Sampradaya-based Classification of Akharas

At highest level, ''akhara'' are classified into one of the four different

(philosophical denominations) based on their traditional systems:Akharas At Simhastha Kumbha Mela Ujjain, 17-Jan-201
/ref> Each sampradaya has several paramparas (lineages), each started by a

based on the guru-shishya tradition. The subsidiary status is as per the traditional ''Shahi Snan'' preferential sequence of procession, though time to time several subsidiary akharas have unsuccessfully tried with authorities to have this sequence altered as the number of their followers grew. outh Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora, Knut A. Jacobsen, ISBN hardback 978-0-415-4373-3, ISBN ebook ISBN hardback 978-0-203-93059-5/ref> Initially there were only 4 akharas based on the sampradaya (sect), which have split into subsidiary akharas due to differences in the leadership and expansion in the followership. In January 2019, there were 13 akharas that are allowed to participate in Prayagraj Kumbh Mela and they have formed the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad with 2 representatives from each of the 13 akharas to manage the akhara-related affairs across all kumb melas and across the nations.Akharas and their history
Amarujala, 18 Jan 2019. * A. Sanyasi Akhara (Hindi: सन्यासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

. Examples of these akharas include the
1. Niranjani Akhara and its subsidiary 2. Ananda Akhara,
3. Juna Akhara and its subsidiaries 4. Avahan Akhara and 5. Agni Akhara.
6.

Pari Akhara Pari or PARI may refer to: Places * Pari, Estonia, a village in Vastseliina Parish, Võru County, Estonia * Pari, Hamadan or Piruz, a village in Hamadan Province, Iran * Pari, Iran, a village in Zanjan Province, Iran * Pari, Civitella Paganico, ...

, an exclusive akhara of female sadahavi (saints), was included in Prayagraj Kumbh for the first time starting from 2013 as a subsidiary akhara of one of the existing akhara. * B. Vairagi Akhara, also Bairagi Akhara (Hindi: बैरागी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

. Examples of such akharas include the
8. Mahanirvani Akhara (or simply ''Nirvani'') and its subsidiaries 9. Atal Akhara,
10. Nirmohi Akhara and 11. Digambar akhara, and 12.

Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...

akharas. * C. Udasi Akhara (Hindi: उदासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

(with

sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

practices). Examples of such akharas include the
13. Nirmal Akhara. * D. Kalpwasis akhara (Hindi: कल्पवासी अखाड़ा) of the followers of

, generally ordinary people who are temporarily living the austere life during the Kumbh Mela to mimic Vanaprastha (Sanskrit: वनप्रस्थ) "retiring into a forest" stage of later life. In that sense kalpwasi akhara is a temporary akhara of no fixed ongoing organisation or leadership.

Still-extant Ancient Akharas

The still-extant seven Shastradhari or monastic Hindu akhara founded by the 8th-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya (also the founder of four Mathas) can be classified, in terms of affiliation and the number of followers, as three major akharas, three minor akharas under major akharas and one smaller akhara under the major akhara: The akhara with the most

is ''Juna Akhara'', followed by ''Niranjani Akhara'' and ''Mahanirvani Akhara''. Among these, today, three are considered major akhara (Juna, Niranjani and Mahanirvani) and three minor akhara (Avahan affiliated with Juna, Ananda affiliated with Niranjani and Atal affiliated with Mahanirvani). The 7th, small Brahmachari (celibate) akhara named Agni is also affiliated with Juna Akhara.

Akharas Today

There are numerous other still-extant akharas, founded by the disciples of the existing akharas, that are usually loosely or directly aligned under one of the existing akhara lineage. The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) (Hindi: अखिल भारतीय अखाड़ा परिषद, transliterated as All India Akhara Council), founded in 1954,Tussle between Akhara members, WebDuniya
/ref> is the apex organisation of 13 akharas of

Sants (saints) and

Sadhu ''Sadhu'' (, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female), also spelled ''saddhu'') is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. They are sometimes alternatively ...

s (ascetics) representing the largest followership in

. These are entitled to the special privilege of the ''Shahi Snan'' at

and Ujjain Simhastha mela in a pre-determined sequence.

Akharas Sequence At Kumbh Mela's Shahi Snan

The monastic akhara and their Sri Pancha of various sects meet during the Kumbha Mela. The Naga sadhu and the various akhara traditionally lead and initiate the bathing rituals before the general population steps in.Kumbha Mela
''Students' Britannica India'', by Dale Hoiberg, Indu Ramchandani. Published by Popular Prakashan, 2000. .''Page 259-260''.Maha Kumbh
''Mahakumbh: The Greatest Show on Earth'', by J.S. Mishra. Published by Har-Anand Publications, 2007. . ''Page 21''. The order of procession is # Mahanirvani akhara with Atal akhara, # Niranjani akhara with Anand akhara, # Juna akhara with Ahvahan and Agni akhara, # Nirvani akhara, # Digambar akhara, # Nirmohi akhara, # Naya Udasin akhara, # Bada Udasin akhara, and # Nirmal akhara.

Notes

References

{{Indian martial arts Indian martial arts Hindu monasticism 547 establishments 6th-century establishments in India

Etymology

History

Foundation dates of martial akharas

Historical timeline

Akharas within Guru–Shishya traditional Sampradaya-Paramparas

Two types of Akhara: Shashtradhari and Astradhari

Astra Martial Arts Akhara

Dangal

Langot

Major Martial Arts Akharas

Shashtra Monastic Akhara

Organization of Monastic Akhara

Sri Pancha

Sampradaya-based Classification of Akharas

Still-extant Ancient Akharas

Akharas Today

Akharas Sequence At Kumbh Mela's Shahi Snan

See also

Notes

Further reading

References