Their Aadhaar Cards Reflect Gurus, Not Parents!

Modern, revamped Prayagraj awaits visitors

- K Sandeep Kumar

PRAYAGRAJ: With sainthood initiation ceremonies marking a would-be holy man or woman forsaking all worldly relationships and possessions, sadhus and sanyasis camping on the banks of Sangam for Mahakumbh-2025 have names of their spiritual gurus instead of their biological parents on their important identification and travel documents like Aadhaar cards and passports.

The saints in passport applications can write the name of their spiritual gurus in place of their biological parent under Government of India rules. In new rules for passport application announced in December 2016, the Union Ministry of External Affairs had allowed seers and mendicants to apply for a passport mentioning the name of their spiritual gurus in place of their biological parents, stated officials.

Swami Hari Giri, the secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (Hari Giri faction) and a patron of Shri Panch Dasnaam Juna Akhara shared that to become a saint, like under the Shaiv Akharas, Tyagis' first perform 17 types of 'Pind daans', a ritual usually performed by men for their late ancestors.

In this, 16 'Pind daans' are done in the name of others while the 17th is in his own name marking an end of his old self and identity.

After this process, the Tyagis break all ties with their parents, siblings, other family members, relatives and move towards propagating the Sanatan dharma, he added.

Interestingly, these saints including the naga sadhus who maintain a distance from all blood relations get a father figure in the form of their Gurus.