The Shri Gorakhnath Mandir also known as Gorakhnath Temple is a temple of the

Nath Nath, also called Natha, are a Shaiva sub-tradition within Hinduism in India and Nepal. A medieval movement, it combined ideas from Buddhism, Shaivism and Yoga traditions in India.Gorakshanath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath, c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, saint who was the influential founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India He is considered one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His follower ...

(c. 11th century), a

yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 Th ...

who travelled widely across India and authored a number of texts that form a part of the canon of Nath Sampradaya. The Nath tradition was founded by guru

Matsyendranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well ...

. This ''

math Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

'' is situated in

Gorakhpur Gorakhpur is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, along the banks of the Rapti river in the Purvanchal region. It is situated 272 kilometers east of the state capital Lucknow. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur dis ...

Uttar Pradesh, India Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

within large premises. The temple performs various cultural and social activities and serves as the cultural hub of the city.

History

Gorakhpur takes its name from

Gorakhnath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath, c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, saint who was the influential founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India He is considered one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His followe ...

, who was a saint of the 'Nath Sampradaya'. A shrine called Gorakhnath Mandir was built in his honour at the location where he did his

Sādhanā ''Sādhanā'' (; ; ) is an ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives. Sadhana is done for a ...

. The Gorakhpur region comprises the districts of Maharajganj,

Kushinagar Kushinagar ( Hindustani: or ; Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is a town in the Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is an important and popular Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha attained ''parinirvana''. Etym ...

, Deoria,

Azamgarh Azamgarh is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Azamgarh division, which consists of Ballia, Mau and Azamgarh districts. Azamgarh is situated on the bank of Tamsa River (Tons). It is located east of the s ...

, Mau,

Ballia Ballia is a city with a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of two major rivers, the Ganges and the Ghaghara.The city is situated east of Varanasi and about 380 ...

and parts of

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

Terai , image =Terai nepal.jpg , image_size = , image_alt = , caption =Aerial view of Terai plains near Biratnagar, Nepal , map = , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , biogeographic_realm = Indomalayan realm , global200 = Terai-Duar savanna a ...

. These areas, which may be called the Gorakhpur Janapad, were an important centre of the Hindu

Vedic culture upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

. Gorakhpur was a part of the kingdom of

Kosala The Kingdom of Kosala (Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indian kingdom with a rich culture, corresponding to the area within the region of Awadh in present-day Uttar Pradesh to Western Odisha. It emerged as a small state during the late Vedic peri ...

, one of the sixteen

Mahajanapadas The Mahājanapadas ( sa, great realm, from ''maha'', "great", and ''janapada'' "foothold of a people") were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE during the second urba ...

in the 6th century BCE. The

solar dynasty The Solar dynasty ( IAST: Suryavaṃśa or Ravivaṃśa in Sanskrit) or the Ikshvaku dynasty was founded by the legendary king Ikshvaku.Geography of Rigvedic India, M.L. Bhargava, Lucknow 1964, pp. 15-18, 46-49, 92-98, 100-/1, 136 The dynasty is ...

Kshatriyas Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the c ...

, whom are believed to have ruled the area, included Lord

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

. Gorakhpur remained an integral part of the erstwhile empires of the

Maurya The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...

Shunga is a type of Japanese erotic art typically executed as a kind of ukiyo-e, often in woodblock print format. While rare, there are also extant erotic painted handscrolls which predate ukiyo-e. Translated literally, the Japanese word ''shunga' ...

Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, ...

Gupta Gupta () is a common surname or last name of Indian origin. It is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means 'guardian' or 'protector'. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, the surname ''Gupta'' was adopted by sev ...

and

Harsha Harshavardhana ( IAST Harṣa-vardhana; c. 590–647 CE) was a Pushyabhuti emperor who ruled northern India from 606 to 647 CE. He was the son of Prabhakaravardhana who had defeated the Alchon Huna invaders, and the younger brother of Rajy ...

dynasties. The website of Gorakhnath Mandir describes its history and the attacks which the temple had to bear from time to time.

Religious activity

Today's Gorakhnath Math, centred at

in eastern

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 195 ...

(also named after the saint), is a religious institution that runs two Gorakhnath temples, one in

in the district of

Gorkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...

(another word believed to be derived from Baba Gorakhnath), and the other a little south of

. The temple at Gorakhpur is said to contain the ''

samadhi ''Samadhi'' ( Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yo ...

'' shrine () and ''gaddi'' () of Gorakhnath. These temples constitute the centre of most of the Hindu

religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...

activity in this region. Thousands of devotees come to these temples on the occasion of

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

, when they offer

khichdi ''Khichdi'' or ''khichri'' (, , , , Odia: ଖେଚୁଡି) is a dish in South Asian cuisine made of rice and lentils ('' dal'') with numerous variations. Variations include ''bajra'' and mung ''dal'' ''khichri''. In Indian culture, in ...

to Gorakhnath Baba. The

King of Nepal The King of Nepal (traditionally known as the Mahārājdhirāja i.e. Great King of Kings; it can also be translated as "Sovereign Emperor" ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजधिराज)) was Nepal's head of state and monarch from 1768 ...

also occasionally visits one of these temples during this festival. The Gorakhnath Math has a significant following in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the

regions of Nepal, and also among wider circles across the Nath groups. The monastic order, according to the principles of saint Gorakhnath, does not follow

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...

conventions. Thus, non-

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

s may serve as priests. The present

Mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of a ...

or Chief Priest is

Yogi Adityanath Yogi Adityanath (born on 5 June 1972 as Ajay Singh Bisht),

. He was appointed Mahant on 14 September 2014. He was preceded by his guru,

Mahant Avaidyanath Mahant Avaidyanath (born Kripal Singh Bisht, 28 May 1921 – 12 September 2014) was an Indian politician and Hindu preacher. He was the Mahant (chief priest) of Gorakhnath Temple, succeeding his guru Digvijay Nath. He was also a politician of t ...

, who died on 12 September 2014, and was given ''samadhi'' beside that of his guru Digvijay Nath in the Gorakhnath Temple. Kundgorakhnath

Within the Temple

The Gorakhnath temple is seen as the main

Asthal Bohar Asthal Bohar, also known as Bohar, is a village on the outskirts of Rohtak city in Rohtak District, Haryana, India. Asthal means Bairagi Monastery. Jain, Nath Shaivite and Brahminical images were found in Asthal Bohr monastery. A seventh century ...

. The temple grounds reach across 52 acres of land in the heart of Gorakhpur. Within the temple are various hallways and rooms celebrating a variety of deities. First is Gorakhnath's personal chamber

. The room once housed a statue of him but has since been replaced with footprints. It also holds his prayer seat where he held his seated pose once he returned from his travels. Leading out of the chamber is a gallery of statues including Siva,

Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...

Kali Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In this tra ...

and Bhairav. Another room contains the nine Naths found in statue form accompanied with other statues. When exiting the gallery surrounding Gorakhnath temple, there are other rooms and portraits allocated for other Hindu deities. Not only is the seat of Gorakhnath a defining feature of the temple, the eternal flame (Divya Joyti) is also held in the temple. It is said to have been burning since the time of Gorakhnath himself. Gorakhnath also known as passionate in raising and serving cows. The temple maintains a cow shed

Goshala Gaushalas or Goshalas ( hi, गौशाला, gauśālā) are protective shelters for stray cow in India. Stray cows are unproductive. Government grants and donations are the primary source of income of the cow shelters in India. Since 2014, when ...

on the premises as one of the many references to the life of Gorakhnath and the goals of maintaining the sacrality of the animal. Away from the main temple, the residential spaces for current practicing ascetics can be found. Gorakhnath Math is a large pilgrimage center as well. All of these spaces within the temple grounds bring thousands of devotees as well as tourists.

Mahants of Gorakhnath Math

Yogi Naraharinath Yogi Naraharinath (born: Balbir Singh Hriksen Thapa, 1915–2003 CE) was a Nepali historian, writer and saint of Nath tradition of Gorakhnath. He has written over 600 books in 28 different languages and has performed 129 Koti Homs throughout ...

* Mahant Digvijay Nath *

Yogi Adityanath Yogi Adityanath (born on 5 June 1972 as Ajay Singh Bisht),

Political activity

The Gorakhnath Math has been involved in political matters for more than a century. Mahant Digvijay Nath joined the

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in 1921 and was arrested for taking an "active part" in the

Chauri Chaura incident 200px, Chauri Chaura Martyrs Memorial, alt= The Chauri Chaura incident took place on 4 February 1922 ( according to the Indian government's official data ) at Chauri Chaura, in the Gorakhpur district, in the United Provinces (now Uttar Prade ...

, thereby putting a brake on Gandhi's

non-cooperation movement The Non-cooperation movement was a political campaign launched on 4 September 1920, by Mahatma Gandhi to have Indians revoke their cooperation from the British government, with the aim of persuading them to grant self-governance.Hindu Mahasabha The Hindu Mahasabha (officially Akhil Bhārat Hindū Mahāsabhā, ) is a Hindu nationalist political party in India. Founded in 1915, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests of orthodox Hindus before the ...

, a right wing Hindu group in 1937 and soon became the head of the party's unit in United Provinces. He strongly opposed Gandhi's non-violent movement. Shortly after independence, he was arrested for inflaming passions against Gandhi that led to his

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

and imprisoned for 9 months. After release, he spearheaded the

Ram Janmabhoomi movement Ram Janmabhoomi (literally, "Rama's birthplace") is the site that is hypothesized to be the birthplace of Rama, believed to be the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The Ramayana states that the location of Rama's birthplace is on the ...

of 1949, organising a 9-day long recitation of

Ramcharit Manas ''Ramcharitmanas'' ( deva, श्रीरामचरितमानस, Rāmacaritamānasa), is an epic poem in the Awadhi language, based on the ''Ramayana'', and composed by the 16th-century Indian bhakti poet Tulsidas (c. 1532–1623). This ...

, at the end of which the idols of

and

Sita Sita (; ) also called as Janaki and Vaidehi is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic, ''Ramayana''. She is the consort of Rama, the avatar of the god Vishnu, and is regarded as a form of Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi. She ...

were placed inside the

Babri Masjid Babri Masjid ( IAST: Bābarī Masjid; meaning ''Mosque of Babur'') was a mosque in Ayodhya, India, at a site believed by many Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama. It has been a focus of dispute between the Hindu and Muslim commun ...

. The Babri Masjid was locked down as a result, but it led to Digvijay Nath's rise in the Hindu Mahasabha. He was appointed the General Secretary at the national level and won the election for the MP of

in 1967. His successor,

got elected as an MLA for

Maniram Shri Maniram Pandit (8 December 1910 – 16 May 1985) was an Indian classical vocalist from the Mewati gharana. Pandit is known for his exemplary contribution to Indian classical music. His compositions ‘ Mata Kalika ’, Niranjani Narayani ...

as an independent in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974 and 1977 and also as an MP from Gorakhpur in 1970 and 1989. Soon after the

Sangh Parivar The Sangh Parivar (translation: "Family of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" or the "RSS family") refers, as an umbrella term, to the collection of Hindu nationalist organisations spawned by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which r ...

started its own

, he joined the

Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the List of ruling p ...

(BJP) and got elected as MP of Gorakhpur on a BJP ticket in 1991 and 1996.

Yogi Adityanath Yogi Adityanath (born on 5 June 1972 as Ajay Singh Bisht),

has also been active in the

BJP The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...

, he has been the MP from Gorakhpur since 1998. He founded the

Hindu Yuva Vahini The Hindu Yuva Vahini was a Hindu youth religious group, incorporated by Yogi Adityanath, intended successor of the Gorakhpur Mutt temple in Gorakhpur, India. The group was founded in April 2002, on the day of Rama Navami by Yogi Adityanath. ...

(Hindu Youth Force). The group has been involved in many religious activities, including the defence of Hindus in Mau riots of October 2005 and in Gorakhpur of January 2007. In the General elections of 2007, the Hindu Yuva Vahini was at one point contemplating running for the elections on its own under the

Hindu Mahasabha The Hindu Mahasabha (officially Akhil Bhārat Hindū Mahāsabhā, ) is a Hindu nationalist political party in India. Founded in 1915, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests of orthodox Hindus before the ...

, but finally reached a compromise with the BJP. Later Yogi Adityanath took an oath as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 19 March 2017. In May 2015, the math organized special ''havans'' and ''kalash-yatra'' to pray for the victims of 2015 India-Nepal Earthquakes which killed close to 10,000 people.

Incidents

On 3 April 2022, a man named Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi was alleged to have tried to enter the temple premises forcibly and attacking police constables on duty. and booked under the

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is an Indian law aimed at prevention of unlawful activities associations in India. Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty o ...

(UAPA).

References

External links

* {{Hindu temples in Uttar Pradesh Shiva temples in Uttar Pradesh Hindu monasteries in India Tourist attractions in Gorakhpur

History

Religious activity

Within the Temple

Mahants of Gorakhnath Math

Political activity

Incidents

References

Further reading

External links