GORKHA: The ‘Khichadi Yatra’ has begun from the famous holy site Gorakhnath temple in Gorakha to Gorkhanath temple in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The ‘Khichadi Yatra’ has set out for Gorakhpur this morning with the objective of propagating the Gorakhnath Kalika Temple of Gorakha, which has religious and cultural significance, said Hom Singh Basnyat, president of the Gaumata Service Federation, Gorakha.

According to him, khichadi yatra has been started from Gorakha to Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur since last year to increase religious tourism activities in Gorakha.

“There had been a tradition since ancient times to send ‘khichadi’ from Gorakhnath temple here to the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur on the occasion of Maghi festival,” he said, adding that this tradition has been revived since last year after a gap of over 20 years.

He said that the ‘khichadi yatra’ will help in preserving the tradition. The khichadi taken from Gorkha is offered at the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur. The team on the Khichadi Yatra comprises of 60 persons including the people’s representatives.

The Gorakha-Gorakhpur Khichadi Yatra set out from the Gorakhanath temple premises at an auspicious time this morning amidst the playing of traditional musical instruments and the chanting of auspicious hymns.
The khichadi is partaken only after offering it to the deity at the Gorakhanath temple in Gorakhpur at the propitious time.

Basnyat said with the re-introduction of the tradition of delivering and offering khichadi at Gorakhanath temple in Gorakhpur, the religious relations between Gorakha of Nepal and Uttar Pradesh of India will be further strengthened and this will help bring more religious tourists to Gorakha.