Ananda Akhara

The name of a specific group of the Naga
class of the Dashanami Sanyasis, a particular type of renunciant ascetic. The
Dashanami Nagas are devotees (bhakta)
of the god Shiva, organized into six different akharas or regiments on the
model of an army. Until the beginning of
the nineteenth century, the Nagas’ primary occupation was as mercenary soldiers, although they also had substantial
trading interests; both of these occupations have largely disappeared in contemporary times.
For organizational purposes, the
Ananda akhara is considered a subsidiary of the powerful Niranjani
akhara, one of the other seven akharas.
All of the groups have particular
features that define their organizational
identity, especially specific tutelary
deities; the tutelary deity of the Ananda
akhara is fire.