Draft:Jagadguru Mahendranand Giri

Jagadguru Mahendranand Giri
Jagadguru Mahendranand Giri, originally known as Mahendra Joshi, was born on the 7th of May, 1980. He holds the position of a Hindu Spiritual Guru, serving as the peethadhishwar of the Gargacharya Pith and holding the revered title of Jagadguru within the Juna Akhada tradition.

Early years
Shri Mahendragiri was born in Jasdan, located in the Rajkot District. He hails from a Garg (Brahmin) family, where his father served as a priest. Mahendragiri's childhood was marked by poverty, with his family residing in a humble kutcha house.

Early years as a swami
Harigiri Maharaj took Mahendra as his disciple during the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2016, held in Ujjain, and bestowed upon him the esteemed position of Mahamandaleshwar of the Juna Akhada. As a Mathadhish

An early role entrusted to Mahendragiri was that of Mathadhish (head) of the Radha Krishna Math in Kalyan, Maharashtra. The Radha Krishna Math, an ancient temple in Kalyan, had fallen into disrepair. Upon assuming responsibility, Mahendragiri renovated the ashram.

As a Pithadish of Muchkund Gufa
His guru appointed him as the Peethadish of Muchkund Gufa in Junagadh in 2018. This sacred site houses an ancient temple believed to be as old as Lord Krishna himself, featuring a revered Shivling established by Lord Krishna after his confrontation with Kalayavana.

Within a span of five years, he initiated over 700 individuals into the fold of sanyas, nurturing them as his disciples, representing various strata of society.

As a Jagadguru
Just eight years of sanyasi jivan of mahendragiri, sumeru Peethadhishwar Shankaracharaya Narendranand Saraswati, along with his guru Mahant Hari Giri Maharaj, bestowed upon him the esteemed titles of Jagadguru and Peethadhishwar of the Gargacharya Pith in April 2024.