On the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, Chief Minister and Gorakshpeethadhishwar Yogi Adityanath dedicated his day to the worship of Lord Shiva.

From the sacred premises of Gorakshpeeth to four major Shiva temples in the district, the chief minister performed rituals, including darshan, pooja, ‘jalabhishek’ and Rudrabhishek, with utmost devotion.

Following the traditional rituals, Chief Minister Yogi prayed to Lord Adiyogi for the well-being of the people, national prosperity, and a life of health, peace and happiness for all citizens. His spiritual journey continued from morning till the afternoon as he visited multiple temples, offering prayers and seeking divine blessings on this significant day.

The chief minister started his Mahashivratri rituals at Gorakhnath temple on Wednesday morning. He performed the sacred Rudrabhishek of Lord Shiva using cow’s milk at the Shakti temple on the first floor of the monastery.

Following this, he performed a ‘havan’ and offered aarti, praying to Lord Shiva for the well-being of all living beings.

Notably, the entire ritual lasted for over two hours. Before this, he also worshipped at the Shiva temple within the Gorakhnath temple complex, where he offered prayers to Lord Nandi and performed ‘jalabhishek’ (holy water offering) to Lord Shiva.

In the Nath tradition, Guru Gorakhnath is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, dedicated to the welfare of all. The Gorakhnath temple itself is rooted in this spirit of public welfare.

This makes Mahashivratri an especially significant occasion for the Gorakshpeethadhishwar (head of the Gorakhnath monastery), Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

After completing rituals at Gorakhnath temple, the chief minister visited three major Shiva temples in Gorakhpur – Manasarovar Shiva temple in Andhiyari Bagh, Mukteshwar Nath temple in Rajghat, and Jharkhandi Mahadev temple.

He offered prayers, performed ‘jalabhishek’, and wished for the well-being of all. During his visit, he instructed officials to ensure proper security, cleanliness and facilities for devotees. He also interacted with worshippers and enquired about their well-being.

At Manasarovar temple, Chief Minister Yogi offered belpatra, bhang, dhatura, and flowers to Lord Shiva and performed rituals amid Vedic chants. Noticing children among the devotees, he warmly interacted with them and gave blessings.

Later, at Mukteshwarnath temple, he offered ‘jalabhishek’ and gifted chocolates to children. His final stop was Jharkhandi Mahadev temple, where he performed traditional worship.

In the afternoon, the chief minister visited the historic Piteshwar Nath temple in Bharohiya, performing prayers and ‘jalabhishek’. This temple, linked to the Pandavas, holds a deep connection with the Gorakshpeeth, and every Mahashivratri, the peethadhishwar performs rituals here.

Chief Minister Yogi also planted Harishankari trees (Peepal, Banyan, and Pakar) on the temple premises and observed the layout map of the project implemented by the Tourism Department for the beautification of the temple and gave necessary guidelines. He also met the local people in the premises of Guru Gorakhnath Vidyapeeth located in front of the Shiva temple in Bharohia and enquired about their well-being.

On the arrival of the chief minister in Bharohiya, many people, including MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party district president Yudhishthir Singh, block pramukh of Jungle Kauriya Brijesh Yadav, block pramukh representative of Bharohia, Sanjay Singh, were present.