Lucknow : This year, June 5 is set to be an especially significant date for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Coinciding with World Environment Day—which also happens to be his birthday—the day will mark a series of spiritually and historically meaningful events that underline both his personal beliefs and political symbolism.
A Day of Multiple Significances
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also serves as the Peethadheeshwar (head) of the influential Gorakshpeeth in Gorakhpur, will be the chief guest at a major religious ceremony in Ayodhya. The occasion? The Pran Pratishtha (consecration) of Ram Darbar and other associated deities in the newly constructed Ram Temple premises.
Adding to the significance is the astrological timing: June 5 falls on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami, a sacred date in the Hindu calendar. It is believed to mark the beginning of the Dwapar Yuga—the age of Lord Krishna—and is also celebrated as Ganga Dussehra, the day when the holy river Ganga is believed to have descended to Earth during the Satyug. In the Treta Yuga, it was on this very date that Lord Ram established the sacred Rameshwaram before embarking on his campaign against Lanka.
This convergence of events—his birthday, World Environment Day, and the sanctified ceremonies—makes this year’s observance especially unique for Yogi Adityanath.
The Gorakshpeeth’s Centuries-Old Role in the Ram Temple Movement
The Gorakshpeeth has been deeply involved in the Ram Temple movement for nearly a century. Three generations of seers from this religious order have led, nurtured, and advanced the cause.
Yogi’s grand-guru, the late Mahant Digvijaynath, is credited with organizing the movement after India’s independence. In 1949, just days before the appearance of the idol of Ram Lalla inside the disputed structure, he had initiated an Akhanda Ramayan recitation there. Following the idol’s sudden appearance, legal proceedings ensued, and for the first time, priests were permitted to perform daily worship at the site.
His successor and Yogi’s guru, the late Mahant Avaidyanath, carried the movement forward with even greater momentum. In 1984, he became the unanimous choice to lead the newly formed Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti. Under his leadership, the movement transformed into one of post-Independence India’s most influential mass campaigns. The Dharm Yatra, launched in October 1984 from Ayodhya to Lucknow, shook the then government to its core.
Yogi’s Personal Commitment to Ayodhya’s Transformation
Ever since assuming the role of Chief Minister in 2017, Yogi Adityanath has demonstrated a consistent commitment to Ayodhya’s development. He has visited the temple town more than 100 times—overseeing, inspecting, and expediting its transformation into a global spiritual hub.
After the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict in favor of the Ram Mandir in 2019, Yogi’s administration opened the financial and infrastructural floodgates for Ayodhya’s revival. From the groundbreaking Bhoomi Pujan to the grand Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, Yogi has remained at the forefront of every milestone.
The Importance of Auspicious Timings
Traditional Hindu practices deeply value auspicious dates (shubh muhurts), and the Ram Mandir’s journey has been no exception. Every major phase—from the laying of the foundation stone to the installation of idols—has been aligned with spiritually significant dates. On April 30, 2025, for example, idols brought from Jaipur were placed inside the temple structures on Akshaya Tritiya, considered one of the holiest days in the Hindu calendar.
Yogi Adityanath’s own birthday and this year’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony follow the same sacred alignment, linking personal devotion with public celebration.
A Legacy of Devotion and Resolve
The intertwining of Yogi Adityanath’s political journey and his spiritual heritage is not coincidental. It is a carefully upheld legacy of leadership rooted in dharma and cultural identity. His predecessors dreamed of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya; Yogi Adityanath has had the privilege—and the responsibility—of seeing that dream materialize.
On June 5, as prayers fill the sanctified air of Ayodhya and the Ganga Dussehra celebrations take place across the nation, Yogi’s birthday will be a poignant reminder of a life lived at the confluence of faith, service, and unrelenting resolve.
