Agra:Thirteen-year-old Rakhi alias Gauri Giri Maharani and her family members, who went to Prayagraj from Agra, have returned home town after 22-day stay at the Maha Kumbh in Pyaragraj after controversy erupted over the girl's initiation as a Sadhvi at a young age.
Following the row, her sanyaas, a stage in spirituality that involves leaving the world behind to pursue a life of devotion to the divine, was withdrawn. Juna Akhara also expelled Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj. According to her father, he has done anything wrong by allowing his daughter for sanyaas but only respected her wish. At the same time, Rakhi maintained that she would remain a Sadhvi all her life and study in Gurukul.
Sandeep Singh Dhakare, Gauri's father, who hails from Turkpur in Fatehabad area of Agra, is a Petha trader by profession. He reached Prayagraj Mahakumbh on December 25 with his wife and two daughters. At the insistence of Rakhi, Singh brought her to Prayagraj for het initiation. Rakhi said, “I have been fond of Sanatan Dharma since childhood. I took initiation from Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj at the age of 11. During that time Kaushal Giri Maharaj had organized Bhagwat Katha at our village. When I reached Prayagraj with the family, my mind got engrossed there.”
The girl insisted her parents to go home. On this, parents and Guru Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj explained that she should not become a Sadhvi right now. Guru told her to focus on their studies and land a job after her studies were over. “On this, I told my parents that if they do not listen to me, then I will jump into the Ganga and give up my life. Only after this, there was a consensus on making me a Sadhvi in Juna Akhara. Then in front of Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj, my parents allowed me to go to Juna Akhara. Only then, I took sanyaas.”
Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj gave her initiation as sadhvi and a new name 'Gauri Giri Maharani.' When the matter came to light, Juna Akhara expelled Mahant Kaushal Giri from the Akhara for seven years for giving disksha to Rakhi a Sadhvi at such a young age.
Rakhi's 'pinddaan' event was also stopped. Hari Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhara said their order does not allow a minor to become a sanyasi or sanysin. At the same time, Rakhi said that there are sadhus younger than her in Maha Kumbh. “No one is questioning them. Everyone is silent about their age, then why me? Why is the rabble-rousing in my case?”she questioned.
Her father, Sandeep Singh Dhakare said, “My relative is the reason behind my daughter becoming a Sadhvi and Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj's expulsion from Juna Akhara. I am engaged in Petha business with my wife Reema Singh's sister Padma Singh's son-in-law. My wife's sister bore a grudge because of that incident. When the daughter was made a sadhvi, she created a ruckus. She alleged that we sold our daughter to Juna Akhara for Rs 25 lakh.”
According to Sandeep, the relative lodged a complaint at a police station in Kanpur. A case was also registered. A team of Kanpur Police reached Juna Akhara in Prayagraj. The family was defamed due to the relative's grudge, he said.
Rakhi said she would wear saffron all her life. “Saffron is my dress. My intentions are firm. I told the same to my parents and Guru Kaushal Giri Maharaj. Now I will study at Didi Ritambara's Vruddhavan Ashram. I will propagate Sanatan Dharma. All the allegations made against my Guru Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj are false. I request Juna Akhara to include my Guru in Juna Akhara again. He should be given respect. He is not at fault in making me a Sadhvi.” Rakhi's mother Reema said the relative did all this out of enmity. “We were having a dispute due to business.”
