Balbir Giri formally named successor of Mahant Narendra Giri

Balbir Giri has been formally named as the successor of Mahant Narendra Giri at the Baghambari Math in Prayagraj. But he will have to fulfill a series of conditions to continue in the post.

Haridwar (Uttarakhand): At a meeting of the office-bearers of the Niranjani Akhara here Thursday, it was decided that Balbir Giri will be successor of Mahant Narendra Giri at the Baghambari Math in Prayagraj. Balbir Giri will also be the head of the Lete Hanuman Temple in Prayagraj. At the same time, a five-member supervisory board will take care of 30 bighas of land under the Baghambari Math and the Lete Hanuman Temple.

Balbir Giri will be formally anointed as the head of the Baghambari Math and the Lete Hanuman Temple October 5. However, he will have to meet a series of conditions to continue in the post.

The five-member supervisory board comprising Mahant Ravindra Puri of the Niranjani Math, Mahant Ramratan Giri, Mahant Omkar Giri, Mahant Hargobind Puri and Mahant Dinesh Giri will take care of the 30 bighas of land under the Baghambari Math and the Lete Hanuman Temple. Balbir Giri will not have the right to sell the property without the permission of the board. The board will have the right to remove Balbir Giri from the post if there is any violation of the sanyasa tradition or any kind of dispute.

It may be mentioned here that on September 20, Mahant Narendra Giri, president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, died under suspicious circumstances at the Baghambari Math in Prayagraj. His body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his room. After that, his alleged suicide note went viral on social media. While one of his disciples, Anand Giri, was blamed for his death in the purported suicide note of several pages, the other disciple, Balbir Giri, was mentioned as the successor.

However, all leading seers, including general secretary of Akhara Parishad Mahant Harigiri to Niranjani Akhara's Acharya Mahamandaleshwar, Swami Kailashanand Giri, and secretary Mahant Ravindra Puri had rejected the alleged suicide note. They have termed the death of Mahant Narendra Giri as the result of a a conspiracy.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also reached Prayagraj during the burial of Narendra Giri. He had announced that every aspect of Narendra Giri's death would be exposed. Following this, the CBI took over the investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, preparations have started for the anointment of Balbir Giri. Seers from all Akaharas are expected to reach Prayagraj for the event October 5.

Balbir Giri hails from Uttarakhand and had left his family in 2005 to take sanyas. He was given 'diksha' by Narendra Giri at Haridwar and is presently looking after the Bilkeshwar Mahadev temple in Haridwar.