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{{Short description|Temple in Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox Mandir
| image = Gategorakhnath.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Gateway to the temple
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| district = [[Gorakhpur]]
| deity = [[Gorakshanath]] ([[Shiva]])
| festivals= [[Makar Sankranti]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = unknown
| website = {{URL|http://gorakhnathmandir.in}}
}}
[[File:Gorakhnath mandir.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Gorakhnath Temple]]
The '''Shri Gorakhnath Mandir''' is a temple of the [[Nath]] monastic order group of the Nath tradition. The name Gorakhnath derives from the medieval saint, [[Gorakshanath]] (c. 11th century), a [[yogi]] who travelled widely across India and authored a number of texts that form a part of the canon of Nath [[Sampradaya]].<ref>{{Cite web |first=Gautam |last=Siddharth |date=19 March 2017 |title=Uttar Pradesh CM: Math, that is hub of politics, has non-Brahmin priests |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/math-that-is-hub-of-politics-has-non-brahmin-priests/articleshow/57712316.cms|access-date=2020-07-10|work=The Times of India}}</ref> The Nath tradition was founded by guru [[Matsyendranath]]. This ''math'' is situated in [[Gorakhpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh, India]] 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]], 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]].

The Gorakhpur region comprises the districts of [[Maharajganj district|Maharajganj]], [[Kushinagar district|Kushinagar]], [[Deoria district|Deoria]], [[Azamgarh district|Azamgarh]], [[Mau district|Mau]], [[Ballia district|Ballia]] and parts of [[Nepal]] [[Terai]]. These areas, which may be called the Gorakhpur [[Janapada|Janapad]], were an important centre of the Hindu [[Vedic culture]].

Gorakhpur was a part of the kingdom of [[Kosala]], one of the sixteen [[Mahajanapadas]] in the 6th century BC. The [[solar dynasty]] of [[Kshatriyas]], whom are believed to have ruled the area, included Lord [[Rama]]. Gorakhpur remained an integral part of the erstwhile empires of the [[Maurya]], [[Shunga Empire|Shunga]], [[Kushan]], [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] and [[Harsha]] dynasties.

The history of the math has also been described in the biography of [[Yogi Adityanath]] - [[The Monk Who Became Chief Minister]], written by [[Shantanu Gupta]]. 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 [[Gorakhpur]] in eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]] (also named after the saint), is a religious institution that runs two Gorakhnath temples, one in [[Nepal]] in the district of [[Gorkha District|Gorkha]] (another word believed to be derived from Baba Gorakhnath), and the other a little south of [[Gorakhpur]]. The temple at Gorakhpur is said to contain the ''[[samadhi]]'' shrine ({{trans|tomb}}) and ''gaddi'' ({{trans|prayer seat}}) of Gorakhnath. These temples constitute the centre of most of the Hindu [[religion|religious]] activity in this region.

Thousands of devotees come to these temples on the occasion of [[Makar Sankranti]], when they offer [[khichdi]] to Gorakhnath Baba. The [[King of Nepal]] also occasionally visits one of these temples during this festival.

The Gorakhnath Math has a significant following in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the [[Terai]] 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 system in India|caste]] conventions as other Hindu religious groups do. Thus, non-[[Brahmin]]s may serve as priests.

The present [[Mahant]] or Chief Priest is [[Yogi Adityanath]]. He was appointed Mahant on 14 September 2014. He was preceded by his guru, [[Mahant Avaidyanath]], who died on 12 September 2014, and was given ''samadhi'' beside that of his guru [[Digvijay Nath]] in the Gorakhnath Temple.<ref>{{citation |title=This Muslim volunteer shares a special bond with Yogi Adityanath |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/this-muslim-volunteer-shares-a-special-bond-with-yogi/story-rcNFSOsmARB8GrGwlyGB7H.html |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=20 March 2017 }}</ref>

[[File:Kundgorakhnath.jpg|right|230px|thumb|Bhim Kund at Gorakhnath Temple]]

==Within the Temple==
The Gorakhnath temple is seen as the main [[Nath]] establishment, among other Nath monasteries such [[Fatehpur Sikri]] and [[Asthal Bohar]]. 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 [[samadhi]]. The room once housed a statue of him but has since been replaced with footprints.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Bouillier|first=Véronique|title=Monastic Wanderers: Nāth Yogī Ascetics in Modern South Asia|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|year=2017|isbn=9781138095397}}</ref> 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 [[Shiva|Siva]], [[Ganesh]], [[Kali]] and [[Bhairava|Bhairav.]]<ref name=":0" /> 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]] 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.<ref name=":0" />

==Political activity==
The Gorakhnath Math has been involved in political matters for more than a century. Mahant [[Digvijay Nath]] joined the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] in 1921 and was arrested for taking an "active part" in the [[Chauri Chaura incident]], thereby putting a brake on Gandhi's [[non-cooperation movement]]. However, the math thereafter became associated with right wing organisations. Nath joined the [[Hindu Mahasabha]], a right wing Hindu group in 1937 and soon became the head of the party's unit in [[United Provinces (1937-1950)|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 of Mahatma Gandhi|assassination]] and imprisoned for 9 months. After release, he spearheaded the [[Ram Janmabhoomi movement]] of 1949, organising a 9-day long recitation of [[Ramcharit Manas]], at the end of which the idols of [[Rama]] and [[Sita]] were placed inside the [[Babri Masjid]]. 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 [[Member of Parliament (India)|MP]] of [[Gorakhpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Gorakhpur]] in 1967.<ref name=Jaffrelot/>

His successor, [[Mahant Avaidyanath]] got elected as an [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] for [[Maniram (Assembly constituency)|Maniram]] as an independent in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974 and 1977 and also as an [[Member of Parliament (India)|MP]] from Gorakhpur in 1970 and 1989. Soon after the [[Sangh Parivar]] started its own [[Ram Janmabhoomi movement]], he joined the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) and got elected as MP of Gorakhpur on a BJP ticket in 1991 and 1996.<ref name=Jaffrelot>
{{cite news |first=Christophe |last=Jaffrelot |author-link=Christophe Jaffrelot |title=The other saffron |newspaper=[[Indian Express]] |date=6 October 2014 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-other-saffron/99/ |access-date=2014-10-06}}
</ref>

[[Yogi Adityanath]] has also been active in the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]], he has been the MP from Gorakhpur since 1998. He founded the [[Hindu Yuva Vahini]] (Hindu Youth Force).<ref name=tehelka>
{{cite news
|title=Riot, manufactured in Gorakhpur
|author=Apoorvanand
|publisher=[[Tehelka]]
|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main26.asp?filename=op170207Riot_manufactured.asp
|date=2007-02-17
|access-date=2007-04-26
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122557/http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main26.asp?filename=op170207Riot_manufactured.asp
|archive-date=4 March 2016
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy-all
|author-link=Apoorvanand
}}</ref> The group has been involved in many communal activities, including the [[Mau, Uttar Pradesh|Mau]] riots<ref>
{{cite news
|title=COMMUNAL RIOTS - 2005 (Part II): Major Riot in Mau (U.P.)
|author=Asghar Ali Engineer
|url=http://www.csss-isla.com/archive/archive.php?article=2006/feb1_15.htm
|date=February 1–15, 2006
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930072840/http://www.csss-isla.com/archive/archive.php?article=2006%2Ffeb1_15.htm
|archive-date=30 September 2007
|df=dmy-all
|author-link=Asghar Ali Engineer
}}</ref> of October 2005 and the Gorakhpur riots<ref name=tehelka/> of January 2007. In the [[Uttar Pradesh Elections 2007|General elections of 2007]], the Hindu Yuva Vahini was at one point contemplating running for the elections on its own under the [[Hindu Mahasabha]] ,<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Yogi's revolt may hit BJP: Ex-BJP leader to go it alone in U.P
| author = Atiq Khan
| url = http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/28/stories/2007032805111200.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071001005643/http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/28/stories/2007032805111200.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2007-10-01
| date = 2007-03-28
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| access-date = 2007-04-26
}}</ref> 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 Nepal Earthquake|2015 India-Nepal Earthquakes]] which killed close to 10,000 people.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gorakhnath Mutt temple holds havans and Kalashytra for 2015 Earthquake victims|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2015/05/temple-in-up-holds-special-prayers-for-earthquake-victims/|access-date=22 May 2015|agency=ANI|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|date=22 May 2015}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.gorakhnathmandir.in}}

{{coord missing|Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Hindu temples in Uttar Pradesh}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Hindu monasteries in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Gorakhpur]]

Gorakhnath Math - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 20:14, 21 April 2021