The Naga Sadhus were the first to take the royal bath at Mahakumbh. Following them, others bathed in the Ganga. But have you ever wondered why Naga Sadhus bathe first? There are numerous beliefs surrounding this, including a story that dates back 265 years.
On the fourth day of the 45-day MahaKumbh in Prayagraj, devotees took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
Over 6 crore devotees attended this massive religious gathering. It is anticipated that more than 10 crore devotees will arrive in Prayagraj for the third Shahi Snan. Naga Sadhus are the first to perform the Shahi Snan, followed by the rest of the people. You might be curious as to why Naga Sadhus bathe first. Let us share with you the 265-year-old story.
Yadunath Sarkar, in his book 'The History of Dashnami Naga Sanyasis,' writes: 'There have always been conflicts over who takes the first bath in Kumbh. A violent clash occurred between Naga Sadhus and Vairagi Sadhus. During the Haridwar Kumbh of 1760, Nagas and Vairagis fought over the first bath, drawing swords, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Vairagi saints.
A similar situation arose again during the 1789 Nashik Kumbh, leading to the bloodshed of Vaishnavas. Disturbed by this violence, Baba Ramdas, the head priest of the Chitrakoot Khaki Akhara of Vaishnavas, lodged a complaint with the Peshwa court in Pune. In 1801, the Peshwa court decreed separate arrangements for Nagas and Vaishnavas at the Nashik Kumbh. Nagas were assigned Kushavarta-Kund in Trimbak, while Vaishnavas received Ramghat in Nashik. In the Ujjain Kumbh, Vaishnavas were given Ramghat on the banks of Shipra, and Nagas were given Dattaghat.
Resolution during British rule
Despite this, disputes over the first bath in Haridwar and Prayag persisted. Under British rule, it was decided that Shaiv Naga Sadhus would bathe first, followed by Vaishnavas. Additionally, the sequence of Akharas was established to prevent conflicts among the Shaiv Akharas. This tradition has continued to this day.
Why do the Nagas bathe first?
According to religious beliefs, during the battle between gods and demons to protect the Amrit Kalash from the ocean churning, four drops of Amrit fell at the four Kumbh locations (Prayagraj, Ujjain, Haridwar, and Nashik). This event led to the establishment of the Maha Kumbh Mela. Naga Sadhus, followers of Bhole Baba, were deemed the first to bathe due to their penance and meditation of Bhole Shankar. Since then, this tradition has persisted, granting Naga Sadhus the first right to the Amrit bath. The Naga bath is considered central to religious and spiritual energy.
Another belief suggests that when Adi Shankaracharya formed a group of Naga sadhus to protect religion, other saints invited them to bathe first. As worshippers of Bhole Shankar, they were given precedence. This tradition has continued ever since.
On Makar Sankranti, January 14, more than 3.5 crore devotees took a holy dip. A 21-member team from ten countries visited Sangam to bathe. Before this, the foreign team met with the saints of Akharas at night. The 'Mahakumbh of Culture' will take place from January 16 to February 24 during the Maha Kumbh, featuring performances by renowned artists showcasing Indian culture on the main stage at Ganga Pandal.
