Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday offered prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple in his parliamentary constituency, Gorakhpur, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun to Makara rashi (Capricorn) from the Dhanu rashi (Sagittarius). It is said that the northward journey of the sun (Uttarayan) begins on this day, making the celebrations quite auspicious.
“Today, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, people are taking baths in Sangam. Devotees have been offering Khichdi in the Gorakhnath temple since yesterday. People are offering Khichdi with great faith. After the Makar Sankranti festival, all the auspicious work is done. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, I heartily extend my best wishes to all the devotees,” CM Yogi said while addressing the media.
“The festival of Khichdi is celebrated with different names in the country. Various types of events are organised in the state today. In some places, Lohri is celebrated, while some celebrate ‘Bihu’. Today, lakhs of devotees are taking baths on the banks of Sangam in the state. A large number of people go to the sacred river pond and other places to take a bath. Be it Prayagraj, take a bath in Kashi or Ayodhya Dham,” he added.
The Chief Minister further said, “You must have seen that there has been a different connection with Shri Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur yesterday and even today, lakhs of devotees have reached there even in the severe cold wave. Mahayogis are offering their faith to Guru Goraksh Nath. Since early morning, lakhs of devotees have been standing in queues to offer their faith by forming long queues on the streets and expressing their faith with complete arrangements. Adequate arrangements have been made at every place by the administration on behalf of the temple management to pay respects at all the places in the state so that the devotees do not face any kind of inconvenience and the devotees who come with great devotion do not behave in an undisciplined manner.”
The festival is observed on January 14 and 15.
Meanwhile, in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, devotees and pilgrims took a holy dip and performed Arti in Gangasagar on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The state observes ‘Gangasagar Mela’ on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The ‘Mela’ witnesses many spiritual devotees every year who visit, especially to take a dip in the sacred waters of the river Ganga at Sagardwip, from where it finally merges into the Bay of Bengal.
