Adityanath’s three-day visit to Gorakhpur begins today, and he will lead Holi processions for the first time in two years

*Paromita Das

Yogi Adityanath, the fiery BJP leader, will arrive in Gorakhpur today for a three-day visit.

This will be his first visit to the stronghold since the party’s landslide victory in the recent Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Adityanath will lead the ‘Holika dahan’ procession in the evening, according to the schedule.

He will also participate in Bhagwan Narsingh Holikotsav shobha yatra.

Due to the pandemic, these events have not been held in Gorakhpur in the last two years. During Narsingh Shobha Yatra, the head of the Goraksh Peeth, drenched in colors, rides Bhagwan Narshingh Rath and exchanges Holi greetings with everyone.Yogi Adityanath, who took over the Peeth after Mahant Digvijaynath and Mahant Avaidyanath, is leading the social harmony movement.

“The Narsingh Shobha Yatra, named after Lord Narsingh, who killed demon king Hiranyakashyap, was started in 1945 by Mahant Digvijaynath, the predecessor of Yogi’s mentor Mahant Avaidyanath, and has continued since then,” temple secretary Dwarika Tiwari said.

Yogi Adityanath wears sunglasses and a raincoat on the occasion before embarking on a yatra in a motorised chariot with a saffron flag. The yatra travels through the busy Sarrafa market and the city’s narrow lanes, where it is greeted by locals with colors and rose petals. A large number of BJP and RSS leaders and workers joined the procession. It is 5 kilometers long and ends at the temple.

Later, Yogi Adityanath attends a function with prominent citizens, where ‘Phagua’—singing of sacred songs—is a major attraction. He also takes part in ‘Holika dahan’ before the yatra.

“This is the occasion when devotees get a direct opportunity to play colours with Peethadeeshwar,” a BJP leader told news agency IANS, adding that Yogi had been leading the procession as local MP and head priest for all these years, and “it was in 2018 that he joined the procession as the Chief Minister.”

Meanwhile, Gorakhpur has tightened security in preparation for Adityanath’s visit. Adityanath won his first Assembly election from Gorakhpur Urban by a massive margin of more than 1.03 lakh votes. He is set to continue as Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister for another five years.