Understanding the Akhadas: The Sadhu Orders Leading the Kumbh Processions

Anyone who has seen footage of a Kumbh Shahi Snan will recognise the image: columns of ash-smeared, trident-carrying ascetics marching to the river ahead of everyone else. These are the Akhadas — organised orders of sadhus whose processions open every Shahi Snan.

A System Centuries in the Making

The Akhada system, as it exists today, is generally credited to the 8th-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, who formalised these monastic orders partly to defend Sanatana Dharma and partly to bring structure to the enormous crowds a gathering like the Kumbh attracts. Each Akhada has its own guru lineage, symbols, and internal hierarchy, and belongs to one of two broad traditions.

Shaiva and Vaishnava Traditions

Nashik's Kumbh is distinctive because it hosts both major traditions at separate sites — a custom maintained for centuries specifically to avoid friction between the two groups. Vaishnava Akhadas, devotees of Vishnu, bathe at Ramkund in Nashik proper. Shaiva Akhadas, devotees of Shiva, bathe at Kushavarta Kund in Trimbakeshwar, home to one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.

The Order of Procession

During Shahi Snan, each Akhada processes to its bathing site in a strict, pre-agreed order — a sequence that has occasionally been a source of historical dispute between orders, which is part of why it is now formally coordinated by the Akhada Parishad. Only after the Akhadas complete their ritual bath are the ghats opened to the general public.

What This Means for Visitors

If you want to witness an Akhada procession rather than just the general bathing crowd, plan to arrive well before dawn on one of the three Shahi Snan dates — the processions typically move through in the very early morning hours, ahead of the day's peak crowd. To understand exactly where Ramkund and Kushavarta Kund sit relative to each other, see our guide to Ramkund, Panchavati and Trimbakeshwar.