Mahant Avaidyanath (b.28 May 1921 – d. 12 September 2014) was a spiritual leader and politician. Mahant Avaidyanath was born on 18th May 1919 in Kandi in Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. His childhood name was Kripal Singh.. As a child Kripal Singh was drawn towards achieving salvation from this world. He got patronage of saints in Rishikesh and Haridwar. His inclination towards Nathpanth (cult) came after his association with Yogi Nirvrittinath, a saint of Nathpanth. Kripal Singh visited the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur with yogi Nirvrittinath in the year 1940. He became Mahant of Gorakhnath temple on 8th February 1942. Mahant Digvijaynath ji Maharaj gave Kripal Singh the name 'Avaidyanath'.
Mahant Avaidyanath was elected MLA from Maniram Assembly segment five times – 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974 and 1977. He was elected Lok Sabha member from Gorakhpur as an Independent candidate in 1970 and won again in 1989 as candidate of Hindu Mahasabha. He was elected MP from the same seat in 1991 and 1996 as Bharatiya Janata Party nominee. He played an important role in Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He was the teacher and predecessor of Yogi Adityanath the present MP of Gorakhpur.
Communications & IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad released a commemorative stamp in denomination of Rs. 5 on 1st October 2015 at Gorakhpur to mark Avaidyanath’s first death anniversary. Shri Yogi Adityanath, M.P. of Gorakhpur and Smt. Sarita Singh, Chief Postmaster General, UP Circle were also present on the occasion.
Courtesy: Sandeep Chaurasia, Gorakhpur | Ashwani Kumar Dubey, Gorakhpur
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