About Acharayas

When Lord Shree Swaminarayan felt that the purpose for which He had graced this Earth was accomplished; the well planned Sampradaya was working, He established two gadis, one in Ahmedabad (Shree Nar-Narayan Dev) and one in Vadtal (Shree Laxmi-Narayan Dev). He also appointed an Acharya on each of these two gadis to maintain the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The Acharya is the only head of the Sampraday, as authorised by Lord Shree Swaminarayan Himself. Shree Swaminarayan Himself divided area of management into Northern Division and Southern Division, called Nar-Narayan Dev Gadi and Lakshmi-Narayan Dev Gadi.

Lord Swaminarayan wanted to keep His saints free from worldly affairs so that they can devote all their time to religious and spiritual practices and teaching and propagating the same. This planning has kept the followers away from hero-worship of the Acharya as is done elsewhere and has kept the followers firmly dedicated to Lord Shree Swaminarayan. The Acharya alone can initiate a person as a follower by a simple ceremony. Only those saints initiated by the Acharya are the real saints of Swaminarayan Sampraday. Specific rules are framed for the succession of the Acharya, so that management remains with the worthy, respectable and adorable Acharya. Power rests with the followers to dismiss the Acharya who may violate the rules and regulations framed by Lord Shree Swaminarayan, on some rare occasions.

The first two Acharyas for the Sampraday were chosen from the holy relatives of Lord Swaminarayan, with the unanimous consent of all the followers. The Acharyas, though householders have to lead a highly disciplined self-controlled life to maintain their supreme position. The Acharyas install the Murtis (icons) in the temples and only such Murtis are divined to fulfill the desires of the followers. His Holiness Acharya Maharaj Shree Koshelandraprasadji, is the current religious head of the Northern Division and His Holiness Acharya Maharaj Shree Rakeshprasadji of the Southern Division.