Chief Minister and Gorakshpeethadheeshwar Yogi Adityanath performed the traditional ‘Kanya Pujan’ ceremony at Gorakhnath Temple on the ninth day of Sharadiya Navratri, in line with the customs of Gorakshpeeth, on Friday, October 11. Following age-old rituals, the CM washed the feet of nine young girls, symbolizing their worship, and adorned them with a chunari, conducted aarti, served them meals with devotion, and offered ‘Dakshina’ to seek their blessings.
The ritual took place on the first floor of his residential area within the temple complex, where CM Yogi washed the feet of the nine girls individually using water from a brass vessel. He applied a tilak made of roli, sandalwood, curd, akshat, and barley grown at the temple’s Shaktipeeth altar to their foreheads before honoring them with garlands, chunaris, gifts, and dakshina.
After the ceremony, CM Yogi personally served fresh food, prepared in the temple’s kitchen, to the girls. Besides these nine girls, other children, both boys and girls, were also offered food with equal care and were presented with gifts and dakshina.
The smiles and joy on the children’s faces, especially after receiving CM Yogi’s warmth and affection, were touching. With care and respect, he washed the feet of the nine girls and Batuk Bhairav, ensuring they were comfortable and satisfied throughout the event.
As he served the children, CM Yogi attentively engaged with them, making sure every child’s plate was filled generously with prasad, while instructing temple staff to ensure no child was left out.
Present during the ceremony were Gorakhnath temple’s chief priest Yogi Kamalnath, Mahamandaleshwar Santosh Das alias Satua Baba from Kashi, Dwarika Tiwari, Virendra Singh, Durgesh Bajaj, Amit Singh Monu, and Vinay Gautam. Earlier in the day, CM Yogi performed a ritualistic worship of Maa Siddhidatri at the temple’s Shaktipeeth.
