Khichchdi Mela- a confluence of spirituality, unity and fun

Gorakhpur is known for Gorakhnath temple all over the world and Makar Sankranti fair, popularly known as Khichdi Mela is organized every year at Gorakhnath Temple. The fair continues over a month and devotees from all over the area and Nepal come to offer khichdi in the temple. Visitors get immersed in the myriad colors and sounds at the month long Khichadi Mela held in the premises of the 52 acre Guru Gorakhnath temple compound, built in the memory of Baba Gorakhnath who is known to popularise Hath Yoga. A lot of shops and food stalls get set up around the temple and sell items including local sweets, jewellery, utensils, hand-made shoes, artifacts, toys and traditional garments. 

Children enjoy slides, swings and various other fun rides at the venue.

People wait in long queues to offer Khichdi (a mixture of rice and pulse) and it as also distributed among devotees as Prasad.  PK Lahiri, scholar and environmentalist, describes the story behind Khichdi, “  Baba Gorakshnath was a native of Kangra in Himanchal Pradesh and he use to visit Ma Jawala Devi temple, once Ma called him for lunch but he refused as animals were sacrificed there. Ma became angry and from then what ever he tried to eat turned into pieces of meat so he lived only on water for a year and reached the place where Gorakhnath temple is situated now. Ma saw his pain and forgave him and tiik a face of old woman sat his way. When Baba begged her she offered Khichdi and the day was of Makarsankranti. Thus the tradition of offering khichdi on the day of makarsankranti came into tradition in Gorakhnath temple. ”

The head priest of the temple, Mahant Adityanath, says, “Devotees offer Khichdi to Baba Gorakhnath and hope it will bring good luck and prosperity to them. People believe that their wishes will come true if they offer prayers on this day when the sun changes the zodiac and herald a new beginning. The day is auspicious for any new beginning.” “ Gorakhnath temple has been constructed where the 12^th century Hathyogi Baba Gorakhnath said to have meditated. In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, Baba Gorakhnath is portrayed as the manifestation of Bhagwan Shiva in deep meditation posture. The temple had a long tradition that the first offering of the porridge to the deity on Makar Sankranti would be made by the king of Nepal.” Mahant added.

On the methods of celebration of Khichchdi, Damodar Upadhyaya, says, “It is good to take a holy dip on Makarsankranty between sunrise and sunset. The dip in the holy rivers including Ganga, Yamuna, Godavri, Krishna, Kaveri and so on is considered to be of high merit. One should make donations and also take care to do good things from the auspicious period of Makarsankranti to Rathsaptami.”

Stating the importance of the occasion, Ram Bahadur Yadav, research scholar, ancient history, says, “Makarsankranti is  Sun denotes knowledge , light and wisdom thus Makar Sankranti signifies that we should turn away from the darkness of delusion in which we live, and begin to enjoy a new life. It gives us the message to inculcate wisdom, knowledge and spirituality.”

The festival is a mark of unity as people from all walks of life and religions come here and enjoy the majestic feast of Makarsankranti and have fun in fair. Asgar Ali, a shopkeeper in the fair , says, “Every year I set shoe stall here. Many people especially from Muslim community come from distant areas for selling things here. I relish khichdi Prasad and I have a lot of faith in it. “

A huge crowd of people throng the temple for offering Khichchdi and to have fun in Khichchdi mela and it becomes a tuff task for the administration makes full safety and security arrangements.  Last year 1,500 volunteers were deployed to take care of the visitors.