Gorakhpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday visited Piteshwarnath Shiv Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur and offered prayers on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
During the occasion, the Chief Minister performed 'Rudrabhishek' at Gorakhnath Temple. He performed 'Jalabhishek' on his arrival at the temple.He also prayed for the welfare and prosperity of the people of the state. CM Yogi performed Lord Shiva's 'Rudrabhishek' with cow milk and sugarcane juice in Shakti Mandir at the Gorakhnath Temple. The chief minister also performed 'havan' and 'aarti' there. The CM also offered prayers at the Shiva temple located in the Gorakhnath temple complex. He then offered prayers to Lord Nandi here and performed 'Jalabhishek' of Lord Shiv. After completing the Maha Shivaratri rituals at Gorakhnath temple, CM Yogi proceeded to the Mansarovar temple, where he performed another 'Jalabhishek'.
Following this, Chief Minister Adityanath interacted with local representatives and people at Guru Gorakhnath Vidyapeeth, expressing concern for their well-being and blessing the children.
Addressing developmental issues, the Chief Minister urged officials to ensure unhindered progress at the local level.
As per religious beliefs, deep ties exist between Gorakshpeeth and the Piteshwarnath temple. It is believed that every Maha Shivratri, 'Gorakshpeethadhishwar' visits this place to perform 'Jalabhishek.'
Earlier in the day, in a display of devotion and religious fervour, hundreds of devotees gathered at the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi to celebrate Maha Shivaratri.
Maha Shivratri is considered auspicious for spiritual growth. The festival, also known as 'the great night of Shiva', celebrates the overcoming of darkness and ignorance. It also celebrates the grand marriage of the lord of destruction, Shiva -- with the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty -- Parvati, who is also known as Shakti (power).
According to Hindu mythology, on the night of the marriage, Lord Shiva had a very diverse group of acquaintances including Hindu gods, goddesses, animals, and demons escorting him to the house of the goddess. The duo of Shiv and Shakti is considered to be the epitome of love, power, and togetherness. The festival marking the initiation of their bond - 'Maha Shivratri' - is celebrated with great fervour across India. —ANI
