Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar made a notable visit to Gorakhpur on Saturday, marking his first trip to the city. After inaugurating the new school, the Vice President, accompanied by his wife Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, visited the Gorakhnath Temple to offer prayers. The darshan and puja rituals were performed under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also serves as the Gorakshapeethadhiswar.
The Vice President was deeply moved by the spiritual experience at the temple, particularly by the significance of the eternal flame in the sanctum sanctorum, which holds immense importance in the Mahayogi tradition.
Upon their arrival at the Gorakhnath Temple, Jagdeep Dhankhar and his wife were transported from the temple’s main gate to the steps of the main temple in a golf cart. Their arrival was marked by a grand reception from 251 Vedic scholars, who welcomed them with traditional chanting and the sound of conchs.
Inside the temple, the Vice President and his wife were greeted by an esteemed group of spiritual leaders, including Yogi Kamalnath, the head priest of Gorakhnath Temple; Mahant Yogi Mithileshnath of Devipatan Shaktipeeth; Mahant Ravindradas of Kalibari; Mahant Panchanan Puri of Chachairam Math; and Dr SP Singh, an officer of Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad.
Upon arriving at the sanctum sanctorum, the Vice President and his wife participated in traditional worship rituals, paying homage to Mahayogi Gorakhnath amidst Vedic chants. They also saw the Akhand Jyoti, an eternal flame, and offered their respects.
CM Yogi provided detailed insights into the significance of Mahayogi Gorakhnath and the Akhand Jyoti. In a gesture of respect, the Chief Minister presented the Vice President and his wife with a statue of Guru Gorakhnath and a ceremonial shawl.
Following the temple rituals, the Vice President, his wife, and CM Yogi proceeded to the Peethadheeshwar residence on the temple grounds for light refreshments. During their time there, Chief Minister Yogi shared mythological stories and historical insights about Mahayogi Gorakhnath, the guru of the Nath sect, and the Gorakhnath Temple. He gifted the Vice President the book ‘Rashtriyata Ke Ananya Sadhak Mahant Avedyanath,’ along with several spiritual books from Gita Press.
The Vice President’s visit included a courtesy interaction with public representatives, educationists, entrepreneurs, doctors, and other dignitaries. The trustees of Gita Press presented a set of five spiritual books to the Vice President.
The visit concluded with a shared meal attended by the Vice President, his wife, CM Yogi, and Union Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan.