38th All India Mahanubhav Parishad Convention Kicks Off In Nashik

The 38th convention of the All India Mahanubhav Parishad will begin in Nashik on Saturday, Oct 25, and continue till Sunday, Oct 26. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will attend the inaugural day of the two-day event, which will be held at Jai Shankar Festival Lawns on Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Road, Jejurkar Mala, in Panchavati.

During the convention, the current president, Kavishwar Kulacharya Vidwansbaba Shastri of Phaltan, will formally hand over charge to the newly appointed president, Mahant Mohanraj Karanjekar Baba of Amravati. Mahant Karanjekar is known to be a close associate of the Chief Minister and is credited with helping fulfil several long-pending demands of the Mahanubhav sect. Organisers expressed hope that remaining key demands, especially those related to the development of pilgrimage sites, will also be addressed.

The Parishad first held its convention in Nashik district in 1914 at the holy site of Mouje Sukene, when it was known as the All India Dharmonnati Parishad. It was later renamed the All India Mahanubhav Parishad. The 10th convention took place in 1960 at Muktidham, Nashik Road, and again in 2012 at the Dongre Hostel grounds. This marks the fourth time in 125 years that Nashik district has been chosen to host the Parishad’s convention.

The All India Mahanubhav Sammelan was previously held in August 2022 at the Dongre Hostel grounds, followed by another national convention in Gujarat in December 2023. In September 2024, the sect organised a grand felicitation ceremony for then deputy chief minister Fadnavis at the Mahakavi Kalidas Kala Mandir in Nashik.

Over the past four years, the Mahanubhav sect has organised several major events in and around Nashik, aimed at spreading awareness about its teachings and highlighting issues concerning its followers.