In keeping with the 70-year-old tradition associated with Gorakhnath mutt, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is also the chief priest of the temple, will lead a grand procession to mark Holi.

“The Narsingh Shobha Yatra named after Lord Narsingh, who killed demon king HiranyaKashyap, was started in 1945 by Mahant Digvijaynath, the predecessor of Yogi’s mentor Mahant Avaidyanath and since then has continued till date,” said Dwarika Tiwari, the temple secretary.

On the occasion, temple chief Yogi Adityanath sports sunglasses and a rain coat before setting off on yatra on a motorized chariot, fitted with a saffron flag. The yatra passes through the busy sarrafa market via the narrow lanes of the city where it is greeted by locals by colours and rose petals.

The procession, which is joined in by large number of BJP and RSS leaders and workers, covers 5 Km and culminates at the temple. Later Yogi attends Phagua, singing of holy songs, and meets with city’s selected dignitaries under Holi Milan programme.

Before the yatra, Yogi also participates in Holika Dahan.

“This is the occasion when devotees get direct opportunity to play colours with Peethadeeshwar,” said a BJP leader.

“It’s decades old tradition in which successive mahants have been leading the procession. Before this, Holika Dahan is performed at temple in the presence of mahant,” said Tiwari.

“For all these years Yogi had been leading the procession as local MP and head priest and it was in 2018 that he joined the procession as the CM. Tight security arrangement have been made with 3500 police personnel, including 3 SPs, 7 ASPs, 1500 constables, 20 COs, 50 SHOs being deployed during the procession. Besides, drone cameras too will keep an eye from the sky,” said SSP Dr Sunil Gupta.

First Published: Mar 20, 2019 09:06 IST