Gorakhpur: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Gorakshpeethadhishwar performed kanya pujan at Gorakhnath temple on Monday on the occasion of Maha Navami, following the traditional rituals of the Gorakshpeeth. He washed the feet of nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga, offered prayers, draped them in chunris and served them food with his own hands.Yogi also performed aarti and presented gifts and dakshina to the girls before seeking their blessings. He also worshipped young boys, traditionally known as batuks, as part of the ritual.The ceremony was held on the first floor of the temple’s annakshetra amid the chanting of Vedic mantras and verses from the Durga Saptashati. The chief minister washed the girls’ feet in a brass vessel and applied tilak made of roli, sandalwood paste, curd and akshat (unbroken rice) on their foreheads. He offered flowers and barley shoots grown at the temple’s Shaktipeeth and adorned them with garlands and chunris.After the rituals, Yogi served prasad prepared in the temple kitchen to the nine girls and the batuks. Arrangements for the kanya bhoj were also made on the ground floor to accommodate the large number of girls and boys who arrived at the temple. They were served food and given gifts and dakshina.The chief minister interacted warmly with the children while serving them, ensuring that their plates were adequately filled. He also instructed temple staff to ensure that all the children were properly looked after.Earlier in the morning, Yogi performed rituals at the temple’s Shaktipeeth and offered prayers to Goddess Siddhidatri, the ninth form of Goddess Durga.
