The Prime Minister’s visit is entirely religious in nature. A religious gathering (satsang sabha) will be addressed first by the Guru and then by PM Modi. This has sparked public discussion about what makes Anandpur so significant as to warrant a visit from PM Modi. In fact, the Advaita Math, to which the trust belongs, has approximately 1000 trusts globally and around 36 in India.
The headquarters of these trusts is the Anandpur Trust located in Isagarh tehsil of Ashoknagar. The Anandpur Trust manages all Advaita Math trusts across India and abroad. The Guru’s decision is final in all trusts, and devotees can only have a darshan (glimpse) of the reigning Guru on special occasions. Anandpur hosts a large event during Baisakhi, attracting people from across the globe and featuring significant religious rituals.
The process of selecting the head (Padshahi) of the Anandpur Trust is unique. The reigning Guru appoints their successor before passing away. Currently, Swami Vidyar Purananand, born in Anandpur, serves as the sixth Padshahi of the Anandpur Trust. Anandpur Dham was established in 1939 by the first Padshahi, Advaita Anand (Paramhans Dayal). Many people here reverently include their Guru’s name instead of their father’s or husband’s name in their identification documents.
