Shri Adi Shankaracharya or the first Shankara with his remarkable reinterpretations of Hindu scriptures, especially on Upanishads or Vedanta, had a profound influence on the growth of Hinduism at a time when chaos, superstition and bigotry was rampant. Shankara advocated the greatness of the Vedas and was the most famous Advaita philosopher who restored the Vedic Dharma and Advaita Vedanta to its pristine purity and glory.

Adi Shankaracharya's Dvaraka Pitha (Matha), Dwaraka, Gujarat, India

Adi Shankaracharya's Jyotirmath or Joshimath Matha, Chamoli (Badrinath), Uttarakhand, India

Adi Shankaracharya's Sringeri Sarada Pitham (Matha), Karnataka, India

Adi Shankaracharya's Govardhana Matha, Puri, Orissa, India

Direction	City	Branch of Veda	Acharya	Deity	Name of Peeta
East India	Puri, Orissa, India	Rigveda	Padmapaada	Vimala Devi	Shakti Peeta
South India	Shringeri, Karnataka, India,	Yajurveda	Sureshwara	Sharada Devi	Sharada Peeta
West India	Dwaraka, Gujarat,India	Samaveda	Hasthaamalaka		Mahakali Peeta
North India	Chamoli (Badarinath), Uttarakhand, India	Atharvanaveda	Thotaka		Aamurtha Peeta

From Mahabharat Jarasandha's Akhara is an ancient historical monument at Rajgir in Bihar, India

What is Akhada ?
The word “Akhada”, according to one historical version is originated from Sanskrit word “Akhanda” (constant / continuous / undivided). Its usage started from the need to maintain continuous vigil against the adversaries by the group / outfit of armed Sadhus and Sants specially established to protect their own faith and traditions. Small section / wing of the Akhada is called ANI or KHALSA.

Foreign aggressions as well as intra-sampraday differences caused growth of the Akhadas (6th century onwards). Over the years, these Akhadas have grown up into an institution like the Mutts and they are managed and run by the office-bearers like Shri Mahant, Mukhya Mahants, Sthaniya Mahant (Thanapati), Sachiv, Adhikari, Karbaris, Kothari, Pujari, etc. The members of the Akhadas practice ‘Bramhacharya’ and ‘Virakti’ and they propagate their faith to instill moral, cultural and spiritual values in the society.

The AKHADA is an armed outfit of the Sampradayas. Avahan Akhada was the first one to come into existence in 547 AD.
       
There are 14 Akhadas recognised by the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad. 13 of them participate in the Kumbha Melas (Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain & Nashik).      

Shaiva Sampraday 8 Akhadas

• AVAHAN
• ATAL
• ANAND
• NIRANJANI
• MAHA-NIRVANI
• AGNI
• JUNA
• GUDAD      

Vaishnav Sampraday 3 Akhadas  

• NIRMOHI
• DIGAMBAR
• NIRVANI      

Udasin Sampraday 2 Akhadas  

• BADA UDASIN
• NAYA UDASIN

Nirmal Sampraday 1 Akhada  

• NIRMAL  

1. SHRI AVAHAN AKHADA : Formed in 547 AD.      

It has headquarters at Varanasi with branches at Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Ujjain & Tryambakeshware. It has one Acharya Mahamandaleshwar as the head and number of Mahamandaleshwars and Mahants.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Brijeshpuri   
      
2. SHRI ATAL AKHADA @ SHRI SHAMBHU DASH-NAM ATAL AKHADA : Formed in 646 AD.      

It has headquarters at Varanasi with branches at Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjains, Tryambakeshwar, Aaraj, Baroda, etc.       
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Udaygiri, Mahant Purushottamgiri.   
      
3. SHRI MAHA NIRVANI AKHADA @ SHRI PANCHAYATI AKHADA MAHA NIRVANI : Formed in 759 AD      

It was formed following internal differences with Shri Atal Akhada. It has headquarters at Prayag and branches at Haridwar, Varanasi, Tryambakeshware, Omkareshwar, Chhanina Kheda (Udaipur, Rajasthan), Jwalamukhi (Dist. Kangda), etc.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Chandrakantpuri.   
      
4. SHRI ANAND AKHADA @ SHRI PANCHAYATI SHAMBHU DASH-NAM ANAND AKHADA : Formed in 856 AD.      

 It has headquarters at Varanasi and branches at Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain, Tryambakeshwar etc.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Sagaranand Saraswati.   
      
5. SHRI NIRANJANI AKHADA @ SHRI SHAMBHU PANCH DASH-NAM NIRANJANI AKHADA : Formed in 904 AD      

Formed in Mandvi (Gujarat), Hqrs at Haridwar, branches at Prayag, Varanasi, Ujjain, Tryambakeshwar, etc.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Digambar Shankarji, Mahant Gopi Bharati   
      
6. SHRI AGNI AKHADA @ SHRI PANCH AGNI AKHADA : Formed in 1136 AD      

Has headquarters at Varanasi and branches at Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain, Tryambakeshwar, Bareilly, Ahmedabad, Junagarh, etc. Also called as 'Brahmacharis' Akhada.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Ambikanandji.   
      
7. SHRI JUNA AKHADA @ BHAIRAV AKHADA @ SHRI SHAMBHU PANCH DASH-NAM JUNA AKHADA : Formed-1156 AD      

Formed in Karnaprayag (Uttarakhand).      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Shantigiri (Thanapati), Mahant Premgiri (Sachiv).   
      
8. SHRI GUDAD AKHADA : Formed in 12th Century      

Has headquarters at Junagarh and branches at Haridwar, Bareilly, Omkareshwar, etc. 
Not included in Akhada Parishad and has no traditional right for Royal-bath during Kumbha.      
Prominent Mahants:            
   

9. SHRI PANCHAYATI  UDASIN BADA AKHADA :   Formed in 1768 during Haridwar Kumbha      

It is also called as Shri 108 Pujyapad Panchaparmeshar Panchayati Akhada Baba Udasin Nirvan.
It has headquarters at Prayag and branches at Haridwar, Ujjain, Gaya, Varanasi, Kurukshetra, Patiala, Hyderabad, Guntur, ShivaKashi, Tryambakeshwar, Hilsa (Nalanda), Kaharpur (Hoshyarpur, Punjab), Bhootnath-Samdiyala (Gujarat), etc.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Shivgiriji.   
      
10. SHRI PANCHAYATI UDASIN NAYA AKHADA: Formed in 1846 after a dispute in Bada Udasin Akhada      

Has headquarters at Haridwar and branches at Prayag, Kurukshetra, Tryambakeshwar, etc.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Vichardas, Mahant Govinddas.   
   

11. SHRI PANCHAYATI NIRMAL AKHADA: Formed in 1856 in Punjab      

Has headquarters at Haridwar and branches at Prayag, Ujjain, Tryambakeshwar, Nashik, etc. Has close ties with Sikhism. Believes in Guru Granth Saheb and follows a Shaiva and Vedic upasana tradition. Guru Gobind Singh had sent a batch of 5 saffron robe sants (Panch Nirmal Gaurik) (Gaurik i.e. Saffron colour) to learn Vedas, Vedang, Dharma-shastra, etc. at Varanasi. However after learning, these Sants had formed their own sect by name Nirmal Sampraday.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Tirthraj Singh.   
   

3 Akhadas and 18 Anis were formed in 1475 at Vrindavan by uniting 4 Sampradayas and Mandals / Sanghs of the Vaishnavas.
      
12. SHRI PANCH RAMANANDIYA NIRMOHI AKHADA :       

It comprises following 9 ANIS (Khalsas) with Yellow Flag :

• Shri Ramanandiya Nirmohi   
• Shri Ramanandiya Zadiya Nirmohi   
• Shri Ramanandiya Maladhari Nirmohi      
• Shri Ramanandiva Maha-Nirvani Nirmohi    
• Shri Ramanandiya Santoshi Nirmohi   
• Shri Radhavallabhi Nirmohi
• Shri Harivyasi Santoshi
• Shri Harivyasi Maha Nirvani
• Dadu Panthi      

Prominent Mahants: Mahant Ramdasji ,Mahant Rajendradas (both Nirmohi), Mahant Jagannathdas (Khaki Akhada), Mahant Narsimhadas (Khaki Akhada), Mahant Krishnacharandas (Chatur- Sampradaya).   
      
13. SHRI PANCH RAMANANDIYA DIGAMBAR AKHADA      

It has following 2 ANIs with Five Colour Flag viz. i) Shri Ramji Digambar and ii) Shri Shyamji Digambar.      
Prominent Mahants: Mahant Keshavdas, Mahant Ramkishoredas.   
      
14.SHRI PANCH RAMANANDIYA NIRVANI AKHADA      

It has following 7 ANIS.

• Shri Ramanandiya Nirvani
• Shri Ramanandiaya Khaki
• Shri Ramanadiya Niralambi
• Shri Ramanadiya Tatambari       
• Shri Harivyasi Nirvani   
• Harivyasi Khaki   
• Balbhadri      

Prominent Mahants: Mahant Gyandasji Maharaj, Mahant Shivanandji, Mahant Ramashraydasji, Mahant Sanjaydas.