Once an SFI leader, now a Mahamandaleshwar

FOR Swami Anandavanam Bharathi who was recently anointed as a Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, the country's largest monastic order, the journey over the years has been quite distinctive.

- K S SREEJITH @T'Puram

FOR Swami Anandavanam Bharathi who was recently anointed as a Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, the country's largest monastic order, the journey over the years has been quite distinctive. Once a rebellious leader of the SFI, the student wing of the CPM, his spiritual ascent from the land of Adi Shankaracharya has now reached a culmination point in Sanatan Dharma.

Juna Akhara head Swami Avdheshanand Giri had anointed him Mahamandaleshwar, the highest level of monks in the order, on January 26. He is the third Keralite to reach this position and the first in Juna Akhara. The previous Malayali seers to earn the title did so around half a century ago. Shankaracharya is believed to have established the akhara system in northern India to train warrior monks to protect Hinduism.

According to Swami Anandavanam, he is now able to accept everyone and everything as equal but with a detachment that was impossible earlier.