Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) | Gorakshpeethadhishwar and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday applied tilak on the foreheads of saints and sages and gave them his blessings on Vijayadashami at the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur.

According to an official statement from the Chief Minister's office, "A traditional Tilakotsav program was organized at the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur on Tuesday on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami."

"During this event, Gorakshpeethadhishwar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath applied tilak on the forehead of saints and sages and gave them his blessings," it said.

Following this, the household devotees also paid their respects to the Gorakshpeethadhishwar and received his blessings. Gorakshpeethadhishwar then gave his blessings to everyone, extending his wishes for Vijayadashami.

All the people participating in Tilakotsav were also given 'prasad' and grains of barley grown on the altar of Shaktipeeth of the temple, said the statement.

At the outset of the Tilakotsav program, individuals associated with the temple, including yogis, saints, priests, and others also applied tilak to the Chief Minister during Mangal recitation. According to the specific tradition of Nathpanth, they paid their respects to him, it said.

As per the statement, household devotees took their turns to pay their respects to the Peethadhishwar, seeking his blessings.

In Tilakotsav, many people, including several MPs, MLAs, public representatives, a large number of saints and household devotees were among those who took blessings from the Chief Minister, it said.

Earlier in the day, Yogi Adityanath performed special worship of Shrinath ji (Guru Gorakshanath, the incarnation of Lord Shiva) at the Gorakhnath temple on the occasion of Vijayadashami in Gorakhpur, an official release said.

Gorakhpur is also his parliamentary constituency.

Dressed in the special attire of Gorakshpeethadhishwar, the CM first offered special prayers to Lord Shrinath, following the rituals and heralding the festival of victory of good over evil, and then performed special worship of all the deities established in the temple.