On Makar Sankranti, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ritually offered Khichdi to Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath in the Gorakhnath temple. Lakhs of devotees offered khichdi, shared food and witnessed the Tretayugin tradition.
Gorakhpur. On the holy festival of Makar Sankranti, Gorakshpeethadhishwar and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday at 4 am in the Brahma Muhurta, offered sacred Khichdi of devotion to Shivavtar Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath as per the special tradition of Nathpanth and wished for the welfare of the people.
CM Yogi worshiped as per rituals
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, sitting on the ground in the sanctum sanctorum of Gorakhnath temple, saluted Guru Gorakhnath by whistling and took orders. After this, after worshiping as per rituals, Khichdi (rice, pulses, sesame, vegetables, turmeric, salt etc.) was offered to Shrinath ji from Gorakshpeeth.
After this, he worshiped other deities present in the main temple and offered Khichdi to the statues of Yogiraj Baba Gambhirnath, Dadaguru Mahant Digvijaynath, Gurudev Mahant Avedyanath, Nauminath and other Nath Yogis.
The doors of the sanctum sanctorum opened for the devotees.
After offering Khichdi by CM Yogi, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple were opened for common devotees. After this, Nath Yogis, saints and devotees lined up and offered Khichdi of reverence to Mahayogi Gorakhnath. Lakhs of devotees from various states of the country including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and neighboring country Nepal offered their faith at the feet of Baba Gorakhnath.
Khichdi also offered by Nepal royal family
According to popular belief, following the tradition of filling the khappar of Baba Gorakhnath since Tretayug, the devotees kept bowing down with khichdi as a sign of faith. On this occasion, Khichdi sent by the Nepalese royal family was also offered with reverence to Baba Gorakhnath.
The process of offering khichdi continued throughout the day.
The process of offering Khichdi to Mahayogi Gorakhnath continued throughout the day. Till afternoon, a huge crowd of devotees was seen on all the routes leading to the temple. After offering Khichdi, the devotees worshiped the idols of all the Gods and Goddesses located in the temple premises and received blessings by paying obeisance at the tombs of Brahmalin Mahant Baba Gambhirnath, Mahant Digvijaynath and Mahant Avedyanath. The entire campus echoed with the praise of Guru Gorakhnath.
There were long queues since morning
Khichdi fair of Gorakhnath temple is a symbol of public faith as well as social harmony. People of every class and community were standing in queues barefoot and offering Khichdi to Baba. Some had a handful of rice and some had a bag, but everyone had the same faith. As early as 3 am on Thursday, a long queue of devotees had formed outside the temple premises till the road. Separate gates and barricades were arranged for crowd management.
CM Yogi himself kept an eye on security and arrangements
Keeping in mind the convenience and safety of the devotees, elaborate arrangements were made by the temple administration and the district administration. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself was keeping an eye on the arrangements the whole time.
Social harmony seen in Khichdi feast
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, a feast of Khichdi Prasad was organized for all the devotees in the Gorakhnath temple complex. Rising above the differences of rich and poor and caste and class, everyone took the prasad together.
A banquet was also organized for the invited guests, in which public representatives, administrative and police officers, entrepreneurs, officials of social organizations and other dignitaries participated.
Guru Gorakhnath is considered Rajguru in Nepal.
According to Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rao, a scholar of Nathpanth, Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath has a deep connection with Nepal. On Makar Sankranti, after offering Khichdi by Gorakshpeethadhishwar, the tradition of offering Khichdi is followed by the Nepalese royal family. Guru Gorakhnath is recognized as Rajguru in Nepal.
The tradition of offering Khichdi has been going on since Tretayuga.
The tradition of offering Khichdi in Gorakhnath temple is considered to be of Treta era. It is believed that once Guru Gorakhnath had reached the court of Mother Jwala Devi in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. When mother arranged for food, Baba said to accept only the food received in alms as food.
While begging, he reached Gorakhpur and meditated on the banks of Rapti-Rohin. People donated food in his Khappar and this tradition was established as Khichdi festival on the day of Makar Sankranti. Since then, the tradition of offering Khichdi to Baba Gorakhnath continues every year on Makar Sankranti. It is believed that even today water is boiling in the court of Mother Jwala Devi to cook Baba’s Khichdi.