Mahant Avaidyanath
A commemorative postage stamp on Mahant Avaidyanath, chief priest of Gorakhnath Math, a politician from Hindu Mahasabha and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a leader of Ram Janmabhoomi movement, mentor and guru of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath :
Issued by India
Issued on Oct 1, 2015
Issued for : The Department of Posts honours the memory of Mahant Avaidyanath through issue of this commemorative postage stamp.
Credits :
Stamp/FDC : Vinita Sinha
Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Multi colour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Stamps Printed : 0.52 Million (20,000 for the Proponent)
Printing Process : Wet Offset
Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad
Name : Kripal Singh Bisht
Born on May 28, 1921 at Kandi, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
Died on Sep 12, 2014 at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
About :
- Mahant Avaidyanath was born on 18th May, 1919 in village Kandi, district Garhwal, Uttaranchal. His childhood name was Kripal Singh. He lost his parents at an early age. Even as a child Kripal Singh was drawn towards achieving salvation from this world. When he was slightly older, Kripal Singh left his house and sought and got patronage of saints in Rishikesh and Haridwar.
- His inclination towards Nathpanth (cult) came after his association with Yogi Nirvrittinath – a saint of Nathpanth, and it continued to grow after meeting yogi Shantinath – a great teacher of Nathpanth who was an erudite philosopher & freedom fighter.
- Kripal Singh visited the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur with yogi Nivrittinath in the year 1940. At the time, the then Gorakshpeethadheeshwar Mahant Digvijaynath Ji Maharaj was looking for a suitable disciple. Gorakshpeethadheeshwar Mahant Ji Maharaj found the qualities he was looking for in a disciple, in the child Kripal Singh and expressed a desire to make Kripal Singh his disciple to Yogi Shantinath. Inspired by the instructions of Yogi Shantinath, and the activities of Gorakshpeethadhisawar, Kripal Singh accepted the offer to be a disciple of Mahant Ji Maharaj on 8th Feb, 1942. Gorakshpeedhadheeswar Mahant Digvijaynath Ji Maharaj gave Kripal Singh the name ‘Avaidyanath‘ and formally declared him as his disciple and the successor of Nathpanth. Conferred with the degrees of ‘Shastri‘, ‘Vidya Varidhi‘ and ‘Vidya Visharad‘ from Rishikesh, Haridwar and Varanasi, Mahant Ji Maharaj was a great learner of Vedant Philosophy & Yoga Philosophy. Apart from being an expert on the Bhagwadgeeta, he was a known for his selflessness, social harmony & his work for eradication of untouchability.
- Under the leadership of Mahant Avaidyanath the Gorakhnath temple, established itself as an ideal of exemplary norms in the fields of education, health and social welfare.
- Mahant Avaidyanath had a lot of respect for all communities, sects and sub-sects of Hindu religion. This was evident from the temple premises where he established statues of different legends, gurus and martyrs concerned with different sects and sub-sects of Hindu religion during the time. Mahant Avaidyanath made his mark in religious, political, social, spiritual and cultural fields. A philosopher of Vedanta and Yoga his generous and courteous attitude was greatly admired by all.
- Mahant Avaidyanath was known and respected for his foresight, organizational capability and above all his passion towards the salvation of downtrodden and socially backward people.
- Mahant Avaidyanath was elected as Member of UP Legislative Assembly on five occasions and was elected as Member of Parliament on four occasions.
- He was the President of the ‘Akhil Bharatvarshiya Avdhoot Bhesh Barah Panth Yogi Mahasabha‘ (Haridwar) from 1969 to 2014 and was the Member of the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India in the years 1971, 1989, 1991 and 1996. He also held the post of Vice-President and General Secretary of ‘Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha‘.
- Mahant Avaidyanath – left for his heavenly abode, following a prolonged illness, on 12th September 2014.
- Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent.
