Chief minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated Ram Navami by performing traditional rituals in Gorakhpur on Friday. He also performed ‘Kanya Pujan’ at the Gorakhnath temple, an official statement said.
Extending greetings to citizens, he said, “Lord Ram has served as an eternal source of inspiration for every Indian, representing the highest ideals of life within the tradition of India’s Sanatan Dharma.”
Yogi Adityanath visited the Ram Darbar at the Gorakhnath Temple complex, where he offered prayers.
The idol of Ram was placed in a flower-decorated cradle amid Vedic chants. The chief minister performed rituals, applied tilak, offered garlands and performed aarti. He then gently rocked the cradle as devotional hymns resonated throughout the temple premises.
Later, he proceeded to the open-air stage within the temple complex, where he again offered prayers and rocked another cradle bearing the idol of Lord Ram.
Earlier, temple authorities organised a ceremonial Kanya Pujan as part of the Ram Navami celebrations. The chief minister began the Navami rituals by worshipping Goddess Siddhidatri at the temple’s Shaktipeeth. He washed the feet of nine young girls symbolising the Nav Durga, offered flowers and garlands, applied tilak with roli and sandalwood, draped them with chunri, performed aarti, and served them food with his own hands. Gifts and dakshina were also presented.
The ceremony was held at the temple’s ‘Anna Kshetra’, where the girls were served fresh prasad prepared in the temple kitchen. Adityanath also performed Batuk Pujan, honouring young boys as per tradition, and distributed meals, gifts, and dakshina.
Temple authorities and devotees prayed for peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all. Local families and children actively participated in the event.
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