Rift among organising Hindu groups: Two ‘Kumbh Melas’ now possible in Kerala in 2027
Having successfully imported the grand scale of the North Indian Kumbh Mela to the banks of the Bharathapuzha in Malappuram district, the organisers of Kerala’s ‘Maha Magha Mahotsavam’ are now split. Festival committees of Thavanur and Thirunavaya, representing two banks of the river Bharathapuzha, who had been organising the event since 2016 and Varanasi’s Sri Panch Dasnam Juna Akhada, who made their entry in 2025 assuming a leadership role, are now locked in a bitter feud.The rift has been caused by concerns regarding financial transparency, and allegations of one-upmanship and sidelining of Kerala-based sanyasins against Juna Akhada’s Maha Mandaleshwar Swami Anandavanam Bharati.Mahamandaleshwar Swami Anandavanam BharatiIn 2025, Anandavanam Bharati, the oldest and the most influential Shaivite monastic order from North India, which plays a significant role in Kumbh Mela, took over the chairmanship of the event.With Anandavanam Bharati declaring a 51-day event from January 15, 2027 and the local committees, which has allegiance with Swami Chidanandapuri vowing to run their own, Kerala is likely to witness two competing Kumbh Melas on the same riverbanks, unless the issues are resolved.Margadarsaka Mandalam, a spiritual advisory body and collective of Hindu monks in Kerala, intervened to sort out differences but the initiative has not yielded results.A decade ago, in 2016, the efforts of Thirur Dinesh, a local journalist and a history enthusiast, led to the Mamankam festival being revived with religious fervour after decades. Since 2018, Swami Chidanandapuri, a vedanta scholar and founder of Advaithashramam in Kolathur, and Mata Amritanandamayi, who became the festival patron, have helped organise the event.Swami Chidananda Puri told TNM that the Margadaesakha Mandalam held multiple meetings with Anadavanam and the organising committee. “But we were not able to reach a positive conclusion," he said.Hindutva and the Mamankam revival: Rebranding a medieval Kerala festival as Kumbh MelaRift may lead to two ‘Kumbh Melas’Anadavanam Bharati was a member of the Thirunavaya committee, which managed the 2026 event at Thirunavaya side. “Anandavanam has not been expelled, efforts were made to include him. However, he said that he would organise the event independently under the banner of Juna Akhada. We are willing to give him an appropriate position and retain him in the committee. He is, after all, a Mahamandaleshwar,” Thirur Dinesh, who represents the Thavanur committee, told TNM.While in the past the Thirunavaya committee had differences with the Thavanur side it did not affect the festival’s conduct. Both committees have decided to jointly organise the festival in 2027 but Anadavanam is not officially part of it. Dinesh said the decision will help reduce expenses. The new committee will be officially formed in the first week of November and will announce the festival, he said.“Historical records indicate that the Magham festival was originally held for 28 days. This is clearly mentioned in a letter written by the Zamorin of Kozhikode to the British in 1810. The proposal to conduct the festival for 51 days was made by Anandavanam. We are conducting a 28-day festival,” Dinesh said. Anadavanam said the 2026 event was organised by the Akhada, a claim disputed by Thavanur and Thirunavaya committees. “The Akhada has no differences of opinion with anyone and welcomes everyone. The Akhada does not exclude or sideline anyone,” he said when asked about the allegations.While the festival became a big event in 2026, after Anadavanam stepped in, Dinesh said it would not be right to attribute this solely to his influence.“The RSS and the Sangh Pariwar also played a significant role through their organised activities. The second Dharma Sandesha Yatra was conducted across Kerala, and it contributed to a renewed sense of Hindu awakening,” he said. Financial liabilities after 2026 festival A representative of the Tirunavaya committee said they incurred a financial liability of Rs 85 lakh while organising the 2026 festival.Anadavanam said Juna Akhada is taking responsibility for the liabilities caused by the festival and a separate bank account was opened specifically for the festival under their PAN number, where all general donations were deposited. “Juna Akhada has all records relating to the bank account. Donations collected locally by individuals and other contributions made within the locality would be accounted for by the local committee,” he said. A representative of the Tirunavaya committee said they are unaware of the Juna Akhada account. “We created a bank account in 2026 solely for the festival. The Juna Akhada is only one of the organising members,” the representative said.
HAVING successfully imported the grand scale of the North Indian Kumbh Mela to the banks of the Bharathapuzha in Malappuram district, the organisers of Kerala’s ‘Maha Magha Mahotsavam’ are now split.
Festival committees of Thavanur and Thirunavaya, representing two banks of the river Bharathapuzha, that had been organising the event since 2016, and Varanasi’s Sri Panch Dasnam Juna Akhada, which made its entry in 2025 assuming a leadership role, are now locked in a bitter feud.
The rift has been caused by concerns regarding financial transparency, and allegations of one-upmanship and sidelining of Kerala-based sanyasins against Juna Akhada’s Maha Mandaleshwar Swami Anandavanam Bharati.
In 2025, Anandavanam Bharati, the oldest and most influential Shaivite monastic order from North India, which plays a significant role in Kumbh Mela, took over the chairmanship of the event.
With Anandavanam Bharati declaring a 51-day event from January 15, 2027, and the local committees, which have allegiance with Swami Chidanandapuri, vowing to run their own, Kerala is likely to witness two competing Kumbh Melas on the same riverbanks, unless the issues are resolved.
Margadarsaka Mandalam, a spiritual advisory body and collective of Hindu monks in Kerala, intervened to sort out differences, but the initiative has not yielded results.
A decade ago, in 2016, the efforts of Thirur Dinesh, a local journalist and a history enthusiast, led to the Mamankam festival being revived with religious fervour after decades.
Since 2018, Swami Chidanandapuri, a Vedanta scholar and founder of Advaithashramam in Kolathur, and Mata Amritanandamayi, who became the festival patron, have helped organise the event.
Swami Chidananda Puri told TNM that the Margadaesakha Mandalam held multiple meetings with Anadavanam and the organising committee. “But we were not able to reach a positive conclusion," he said.
Rift may lead to two ‘Kumbh Melas’
Anandavanam Bharati was a member of the Thirunavaya committee, which managed the 2026 event at Thirunavaya side.
“Anandavanam has not been expelled; efforts were made to include him. However, he said that he would organise the event independently under the banner of Juna Akhada. We are willing to give him an appropriate position and retain him in the committee. He is, after all, a Mahamandaleshwar,” Thirur Dinesh, who represents the Thavanur committee, told TNM.
While in the past the Thirunavaya committee had differences with the Thavanur side it did not affect the festival’s conduct. Both committees have decided to jointly organise the festival in 2027 but Anadavanam is not officially part of it.
Dinesh said the decision will help reduce expenses. The new committee will be officially formed in the first week of November and will announce the festival, he said.
“Historical records indicate that the Magham festival was originally held for 28 days. This is clearly mentioned in a letter written by the Zamorin of Kozhikode to the British in 1810. The proposal to conduct the festival for 51 days was made by Anandavanam. We are conducting a 28-day festival,” Dinesh said.
Anadavanam said the 2026 event was organised by the Akhada, a claim disputed by Thavanur and Thirunavaya committees. “The Akhada has no differences of opinion with anyone and welcomes everyone. The Akhada does not exclude or sideline anyone,” he said when asked about the allegations.
While the festival became a big event in 2026, after Anadavanam stepped in, Dinesh said it would not be right to attribute this solely to his influence.
“The RSS and the Sangh Pariwar also played a significant role through their organised activities. The second Dharma Sandesha Yatra was conducted across Kerala, and it contributed to a renewed sense of Hindu awakening,” he said.
Financial liabilities after 2026 festival
A representative of the Tirunavaya committee said they incurred a financial liability of Rs 85 lakh while organising the 2026 festival.
Anadavanam said Juna Akhada is taking responsibility for the liabilities caused by the festival and a separate bank account was opened specifically for the festival under their PAN number, where all general donations were deposited.
“Juna Akhada has all records relating to the bank account. Donations collected locally by individuals and other contributions made within the locality would be accounted for by the local committee,” he said.
A representative of the Tirunavaya committee said they are unaware of the Juna Akhada account.
“We created a bank account in 2026 solely for the festival. The Juna Akhada is only one of the organising members," the representative said.
