CM Adityanath celebrates Sankranti at Gorakhnath temple, offers prayer

With the festival of Makar Sankranti being celebrated across the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also marked the day at the revered Gorakhnath temple by offering prayers and extending his wishes to the citizens of the country.

The festival is celebrated with great joy and fervor at the temple dedicated to Guru Gorakhnath and thousands of people throng the religious place to offer prayers.

"Makar Sankranti is a festival of the divine father of the world, Sun. Every living thing in this world is because of God Sun. As it is festival of Sun I wish everybody an exciting beginning of their day," Yogi Adityanath said.

"Makar Sankranti has an important place among all the cultural festival, it is celebrated in many places with different names like, in East as Bihu, in West in the name of Lohri, in North as Khichdi and Tilwa Sankranti and in South as Pongal," he added.

Large number of devotees from Gorakhpur and nearby areas thronged the Gorakhnath temple to offer prayers to mark the festival.

"People from Nepal, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Haryana have visited the temple to offer prayers to Guru Gorakhnath on this occasion, it is said that after offering prayers here wish of the devotee are fulfilled," Durgesh Bajaj, a devotee said.

Makara Sankranti or Maghi, is a holy day in the Hindu calendar, in reference to deity Surya. The day marks the first day of the Sun's transit into the Makara, marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.