1 2 Prayagraj: Differences have surfaced between the two factions of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad again, this time over the issue of changing the name of Peshwai and Shahi Snan for Maha Kumbh-2025. While ABAP president Shrimahant Ravindra Puri (head of Mansa Devi Trust and member of Niranjani Akhara) said that Shahi Snan would be called ‘Rajsi Snan' and Peshwai as ‘Chhavani Pravesh', the invitation card of Shrimahanirvani, Nirmal Akhara (of another faction) has used the term ‘Kumbh Mela Chhavani Pravesh' against Peshwai and ‘Kumbh Amrit Snan' for Shahi Snan. The bhoomi pujan of Shrimahanirvani Akhara is on Dec 6, Dharmadhwaja pujan on Dec 22, and Kumbh Mela Chhavani Pravesh Shobha Yatra is on Jan 2.
There are two factions in ABAP— the first faction, which claims to have the support of nine Akharas, is led by Ravindra Puri of Niranjani Akhara, also the head of Mansa Devi Temple Trust while the second faction is led by Mahant Ravindra Puri of Maha Nirvani Akhara. Likewise, Mahant Hari Giri, the patron of Juna Akhara, is the general secretary of one faction, while Mahant Rajendra Das, secretary of Ani Akhara, is the general secretary of the other. In a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Prayagraj in Oct, the Akhara Parishad president Shrimahant Ravindra Puri called for writing Chhavani Pravesh against Peshwai and Shahi Snan as Rajsi Snan.
Most of the nine Akharas associated with him agreed to it. However, the Akharas associated with the other faction did .