Gorakhpur– The Gorakhpur Mutt is preparing for the final day of a week-long tribute to the late Rashtrasant Mahant Avedyanath on September 11. Current Gorakshpeethadhishwar and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be among the prominent saints and devotees present at the memorial service.
Mahant Avedyanath, who passed away on Ashwin Krishna Chaturthi, will be remembered for his immense contributions to social harmony and the Ram Temple movement. Born in Uttarakhand on May 18, 1919, he became deeply devoted to religion and spirituality from a young age. He was formally initiated into the Nath tradition in 1942 under the tutelage of Mahant Digvijaynath and became the Gorakhnath temple’s head priest in 1969. He continued his guru’s legacy of public welfare and social harmony until his passing in 2014.
Mahant Avedyanath played a decisive role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, uniting saints, politicians, and the public as the head of both the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Samiti and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nirman Uchhadhikar Samiti. His efforts, along with those of his predecessor and successor, are seen as instrumental in the construction of the Ram Temple. A poignant example of this is the first brick for the temple’s foundation being laid by a Dalit, Kameshwar Chaupal, under his guidance, a testament to his belief in social harmony.
Mahant Avedyanath’s dedication to eradicating untouchability and caste discrimination was a central tenet of his life. He launched a widespread campaign against social evils, organizing community meals in Dalit settlements and sharing a meal with the Dom Raja in Kashi to send a nationwide message of unity. His political career, which included five terms as an MLA and four as a Member of Parliament, was also motivated by a desire to unite Hindu society and combat social ills.
Mahant Avedyanath used the examples of Lord Rama’s interactions with Shabari, Nishadraj, and Jatayu, as well as the symbolism of Goddess Durga’s eight arms, to emphasize the importance of a harmonious and united society. He believed that when the four castes of society come together, they become as powerful as Goddess Durga, who rides a lion.
