Mahant

A mahant is a title used in Hindu contexts to designate the head priest or chief administrator of a monastery or temple complex, especially within Hindu monasteries known as mathas or mutts. The term derives from Sanskrit mahānta, meaning “great one,” and it conveys spiritual authority as well as leadership over a religious community.

In practice, a mahant oversees religious services, ritual ceremonies, and the daily administration of the mutt or temple. The role often includes managing endowments, properties, and charitable activities, providing spiritual guidance to disciples, and supervising priests and staff. The mahant may also set rules for monastic discipline, oversee education and training of monks or ascetics, and represent the institution in community affairs. Depending on the lineage, the appointment can be hereditary, elective by a monastic council, or conferred by a senior priest or founder’s lineage.

The title is used across several Hindu traditions, including Shaivism and Vaishnavism, and is common in parts of the Indian subcontinent, including India and Nepal. In some temples, the mahant functions as the senior priest without leading a formal mathematical order, while in others the mahant is the head of a larger monastic establishment. The specifics of succession and authority can vary by mutt and regional practice, and disputes over appointment have occurred in certain historical and contemporary contexts.

Today, mahants continue to play a central role in temple governance, ritual life, and the preservation of religious traditions, balancing ancient authority with modern governance and legal frameworks.