The decision came following the controversial appointment of Mamta Kulkarni, a former Bollywood actress with a checkered past, as Mahamandaleshwar.
Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of Kinnar Akhada, has expelled both Mamta Kulkarni and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi from the Akhada.
The decision comes in the wake of the controversial appointment of Mamta Kulkarni, a former Bollywood actress with a checkered past, as Mahamandaleshwar.
Tripathi had allegedly appointed Kulkarni without the founder’s consent, an act that has sparked considerable outrage.
According to a press release issued on January 30, 2025, Rishi Ajay Das noted, “As the founder of Kinnar Akhada, I am hereby relieving Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi from his position as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada, effective immediately. His appointment was made with the goal of promoting religious activities and uplifting the transgender community, but he has deviated from these responsibilities.”
The controversy revolves around an agreement Tripathi entered into with Juna Akhada in 2019, which Ajay Das claims was allegedly done without his approval. He further alleged that the contract between the two Akhadas was legally invalid due to the lack of his consent and signature.
Moreover, Ajay Das accused Tripathi of undermining the tenets of the Kinnar Akhada by allowing Mamta Kulkarni to join and take on the prestigious role of Mahamandaleshwar despite her past involvement in criminal activities.
Ajay Das explained that Mamta Kulkarni’s appointment was particularly concerning because she had a criminal history.
“By giving such a person the title of Mahamandaleshwar, what kind of guru are you offering to Sanatan Dharma? This is a question of ethics,” he wrote.
The founder emphasized that this appointment was not only unethical but also a betrayal of the Akhada’s religious values.
The expulsion of both individuals has ignited debates within the spiritual community, with the President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, Mahant Ravindra Puri, speaking out in support of Tripathi and Kulkarni.
Puri challenged the legitimacy of Ajay Das’s decision, saying, “I want to ask, who is he (Rishi Ajay Das) to expel Laxmi Narayan Tripathi?”
