Exploring the Lives of Female Naga Sadhus: Attire, Rituals, and Devotion

Exploring the Lives of Female Naga Sadhus: Discover the fascinating life of female Naga Sadhus, their unique attire, rigorous rituals, and complete devotion to God. Learn how women take on the challenging path of becoming Naga Sadhus and the traditions they uphold in their spiritual journey.

Like men, women also become Naga Sadhus and know about their attire, daily routine, and life. It is said that the life of Naga Sadhus is not easy. To become a Naga Sadhu, this good fortune is achieved only after rigorous penance and true faith and devotion towards God. Do you know that not only men, but women also become Naga Sadhus? For this, they have to go through difficult tests. But, in some ways, female Sadhus are different from male Naga Sadhus. Here know how a woman becomes a Naga Sadhu and what is their attire, daily routine, and the rest of life.

The life of female Naga Sadhus is also completely dedicated to God. Their day begins and ends with worship. When a woman becomes a Naga Sadhu, all the Sadhus and Sadhvis start calling her Mata. Mai Bada is the Akhara in which women are Naga Sadhus. In the Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh in the year 2013, Mai Bada was given a more elaborate form and was named Dashnam Sannyasini Akhara.

Naga is a title. Akharas of all three sects of sadhus, Vaishnav, Shaiva, and Udasi sects, make them Nagas. Male sadhus are allowed to be naked in public, but female sadhus cannot do so. There are many clothed and many Digambaras (naked) among Nagas. Similarly, when women take initiation into Sannyas, they are also made Nagas, but all of them are clothed. Female Naga sadhus have to put a Tilak on their forehead. They are allowed to wear only one cloth, which is of saffron color.

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The cloth worn by female Naga sadhus is not stitched. It is called Ganti. Before becoming a Naga Sadhu, a woman has to follow celibacy for a period of 6 to 12 years. When the woman succeeds in doing this, then her Guru gives her permission to become a Naga Sadhu. Apart from this, before making her a Naga Sadhu, information is obtained about the woman’s past life, so that it can be known whether she is completely devoted to God or not and whether she will be able to perform the difficult sadhana by becoming a Naga Sadhu or not.

Exploring the Lives of Female Naga Sadhus: The female sadhus of the Akhara are called Mai, Avdhutani, or Nagin

However, these Mai or Nagins are not selected for any of the major posts of the Akhara. While becoming a Naga Sadhu, the woman has to prove that she is completely devoted to God and now she has no attachment to worldly pleasures.

After this, after purifying herself by taking a bath in the river in the morning, the sadhana of female Naga Sanyasins begins. Avdhutani Maa chants the name of God the whole day. She wakes up early in the morning and worships Shiva. In the evening, she worships Lord Dattatreya. Before becoming a Naga Sadhu, a female Sadhu has to perform Pinddaan and leave her past life behind.

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The process of making women Sanyasis is completed by Acharya Mahamandleshwar, the highest official of the Akharas. While becoming a female Naga Sadhu, women first have to shave their hair, after which they take a holy bath in the river. This is the process of their transformation from an ordinary woman to a Naga Sadhu.

There is only one big difference between male and female Naga Sadhus. Male Naga Sadhus remain completely naked, while female Naga Sadhus keep their body covered with a saffron-colored cloth. These women do not even have to take a naked bath during Kumbh. They keep wearing this saffron cloth even while bathing.

Female Naga Sadhus also get as much respect as male Naga Sadhus. They also reach the holy bath of Kumbh along with the Naga Sadhus. However, they enter the river to take a bath after they have bathed.