Denomination
The Rāmānandī Sampradaya is one of the largest and most egalitarian Hindu sects India, around the Ganges Plain, and Nepal today. It mainly emphasizes the worship of Rama, as well as Vishnu directly and other incarnations. While considered Vaiṣṇava, the Rāmānandī are the largest ascetic group that celebrates the Śivarātri festival, which is dedicated to Shiva. Rāmānandī ascetics rely upon meditation and strict ascetic practices, but also believe that the grace of god is required for them to achieve liberation. For that reason, the Tyāga section of the Rāmānandī ascetics, unlike some Śaiva ascetics, do not cut the sacred thread. Their reasoning for this is that only Viṣṇu or Rāma can grant liberation.
Most Rāmānandīs consider themselves to be the followers of Ramananda, a Vaishnava saint in medieval India. Philosophically, they are in the Vishishtadvaita (IAST Viśiṣṭādvaita) tradition.
Its ascetic wing constitutes the largest Vaishnava monastic order and may possibly be the largest monastic order in all of India. There are two major subgroups of Rāmānandī ascetics: the Tyāgī, who use ash for initiation, and the Nāgā, who are the militant wing.
Read more about this topic: Ramanandi Sect