In a major development, Juna Akhara, India’s largest Hindu monastic order, has expelled Mahant Kaushal Giri for seven years after he accepted a 13-year-old girl from Agra as “donation” from her family and initiated her as a sadhvi (monk). The action comes after a series of objections from top saints and officials within the Akhara, which deemed the incident a violation of ethical and legal standards.
The girl was returned to her family in Agra, and the Akhara has now set a minimum age limit of 22 for women seeking to be initiated as sanyasins. This decision follows the realization that minors cannot make such life-changing decisions, with spokesperson Narayan Giri asserting that no minor should be inducted into the Akhara without proper consent and a mature understanding of the decision.
While Mahant Giri defended his actions, claiming the girl’s family had no objections and the child wished to renounce worldly life, it has sparked strong reactions from child rights activists. Naresh Paras condemned the incident, calling it a breach of child protection laws, and urged authorities to intervene. He emphasized that the consent of a minor cannot be deemed legally valid, and that Akharas, not being registered educational institutions, cannot accept minors under current child protection norms.
The incident has raised serious questions regarding the treatment of minors in religious settings and sparked national discussions about child rights and the ethical obligations of religious institutions. With this expulsion and the establishment of new rules, the Akhara aims to ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future.
