CM Yogi leads grand victory procession on Vijay Dashmi

On the way to the Ramlila ground, the Yogi’s procession was welcomed by members of the Muslim community

GORAKHPUR A grand victory procession led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath was taken out on Friday from the Gorakhnath temple to the Mansarovar Ramlila ground here to mark Vijay Dashmi.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the Dussehra celebrations at a temple in Gorakhpur, Friday (PTI Photo)

The procession was joined by thousands of devotees holding saffron flags. When it reached Ramlila ground, Yogi Adityanath applied ‘tilak’ to Lord Ram and Laxman (characters portrayed by artistes) and performed their ‘aarti’ amid tight security arrangements.

The CM also addressed the crowd highlighting the importance of Vijay Dashmi in Sanatan Hindu dharma.

On the way to the Ramlila ground, the Yogi’s procession was welcomed by members of the Muslim community, including Haji Chaudhary Kaif-ul-wara, the newly appointed chairman of Urdu Academy, whose family shares decades old ties with the temple.

Preparations for the victory procession began early on Friday morning with devotees and seers associated with the Nath sect, leaders, MPs and MLAs thronging the temple premises.

Before the procession, a customary ‘tilak utsav’ was held at the temple where the devotees, priests, MPs and MLAs applied tilak on each other and sought blessings of Yogi Adityanath – Mahant of Gorakshpeeth.

A community kitchen was also held where thousands of people were offered ‘prasad’ as part of the temple’s bid to promote social harmony.