Trimbakeshwar, Sept 07: Thousands of sadhus today took part in the third and final shahi snan (royal bath) of Kumbh Mela 2003 at Kushavartha Teerth here amidst unprecedented security even as mahants and naga sadhus of Juna Akhada declined to participate in protest against the `boycott' of their akhada by other akhadas. Mahants and sadhus belonging to Avahan, Agni, Anand, Niranjani, Mahanirwani and Atal Akhadas took the royal bath between 4.00 am and 5.35 am in the sacred pond after which it was kept reserved for Vaishanav sadhus till 8.00 am. The mahants arrived for the royal bath carrying their `nishan' (symbols) in a procession dotted with silver maces with beautiful carvings, silver palanquins mounted on cars or car roofs, spears with silver rods and also golden idols of their favourite gods.
Chanting `bam bam bhole' and `har har mahadev', the naga sadhus smeared in ash and wearing flower garlands took the holy dip and offered prayers to Lord Shiva in the ancient Trimbakeshwar Temple which houses one of the 12 `jyotirlingas'.
However, the procession by sadhus was simple and without music and other instruments as a mark of respect to the victims of stampede incident at Nasik on August 27. Meanwhile, following internal disputes, nine akhadas `boycotted' the Juna Akhada on Friday night after a meeting of Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad presided over by its president Mahant Sagaranand Saraswati.
National president of Shri Shambhu Panch Dashnam Juna Akhada Paramanand Saraswati, while talking to reporters, alleged that there was a "political conspiracy" against their akhada. Bureau Report