Was Prayagraj’s Mahant Narendra Giri An Odia?

Balasore: A man from Bhograi block in Odisha’s Balasore district has claimed to be the brother of Mahant Narendra Giri, the deceased president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP).

The man identified as Purnachandra Giri told media that Mahant Narendra was an Odia and was born in Panisandha village of Bhogarai block in Balasore district.

Purnachandra said the saint was the son of Sanatan Giri and Ramamani Giri and one among the six children. The saint had left home 52 years back.

Purnachandra said he met his brother and Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Narendra about 10 years back. “Giri had come home 10 years back, that was before he became the seer at the Baghambari Mutt in Prayagraj. While returning to Uttar Pradesh, Narendra said he would never return to Balasore,” claimed Purnachandra while informing abut his interaction with his ‘brother’ about a decade back.

Narendra had also stayed in his home for 15 days, claimed Purnachandra.

The Mahant (72) was found dead in his room at Baghambari Mutt on September 20. The death of the seer is being investigated by CBI and UP police.

More About The Saint

The Mahant is believed to have left his home in 1983 at a very young age of 22. He went to Prayagraj Sangam.

At Prayagraj, Divyanand Giri of Niranjani Akhara took him under his wings. After training Divyanand Giri initiated sannyas to Mahant in 1985 and gave the name Narendra Giri.

Mahant Narendra Giri’s guru was Mahant Balwant Giri, who taught the initiation and sannyasa tradition

Narendra Giri took ascended the throne of Baghambari Mutt in 2004.

In 2014 he was made president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad at the Nashik Kumbh

In 2018, Narendra Giri came to prominence for releasing the list of fake saints.

On October 10, 2019, Mahant Narendra Giri’s Akhara Parishad presidency was extended for five years in Prayagraj itself, sated a report in the DNA.