The Nirmal Akhara, formally the Panchayati Akhara Nirmal, is the central monastic organization of the Nirmala sect, a tradition that blends Sikh scriptural study with Hindu ascetic practice, headquartered at Kankhal in Haridwar. The Nirmalas trace their origin to Guru Gobind Singh, who is said to have sent five Sikh scholars to Kashi in 1686 to study Sanskrit and Hindu scripture, and the akhara itself was formally established on 7 August 1862 in Patiala, with Mahitab Singh as its first Sri Mahant, following a 1796 dispute between Nirmala and Naga ascetics over bathing rights at the Kumbh Mela. It operates roughly thirty two branches with an estimated fifteen thousand affiliated sadhus.
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1. Wikipedia: Nirmal Akhara
WikipediaIntroduction, kind of orderQuote, Introduction, kind of order
The Panchayati Akhara Nirmal or Nirmal Panchayati Akhara is an organization (akhara) based in Haridwar, India associated with the Nirmala sampardya.
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