Who was Mahant Narendra Giri?

Mahant Narendra Giri was the head of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, which is an organisation of Hindu Sadhus. The Parishad came into existence on October 27, 1966, and was founded by Shri Ratnasimha Shandilya, who was a senior journalist of the New Delhi Times.

Mahant’s body was found hanging on Monday and the police were contacted swiftly. While a purported suicide note was recovered by the police, the cause of the death is yet to be ascertained.

In the suicide note, the seer had written that he was having some mental issues and decided to end his life. As per the police, the note said that Mahant has delegated responsibilities to his disciples.

Earlier in the month of April, the influential Hindu seer was hospitalised after he contracted COVID-19.

“The death of Mahant Narendra Giri ji, President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, is an irreparable loss to the spiritual world. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed soul a place at his feet and strength to the bereaved followers to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said: “All India Akhara Parishad President Pujya Narendra Giri ji passed away, irreparable loss! May God grant the virtuous soul a place at his feet and strength to his followers to bear this sorrow. Heartfelt tribute.”

Akhilesh Yadav had met Giri Maharaj in Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela.

Narendra Giri was seen as one of the most vocal supporters of the ruling BJP in the state.

Uttar Pradesh’s deputy chief minister, who met the seer on Sunday, said, “I met him y’day & took his blessings. He was very happy but today I got to know that he died by suicide which made me sad & shocked. We’ll take all the necessary steps to find out the exact cause of the death.”

The top seer of Akhara Parishad, had in an interview with Opoyi in August last year, backed the Yogi government over Ram Mandir Shilanyas. Giri, who was one of the selected few invited to attend the temple event, dismissed the need for any Mahurat for the work of Lord Ram.

He had also appealed to the people to light up diyas to celebrate the Ram temple Shilanyas.