Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath early Thursday morning offered prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple here on the occasion of Makar Sankranti greeted people on the festival, which marks the end of the winter solstice.
"I wish everyone a happy Makar Sankranti. This festival is celebrated across the country in different names - In north India, it is called Sankranti, while in South India it is called Pongal Lohri in Punjab, and in Assam it is celebrated as Bihu," he said.
The Chief Minister said that on the festival, which is dedicated to the Sun God, devotees bathe in rivers and offer prayers to the Sun deity.
Adityanath, who is also head of Goraksh Peeth followed tradition by offering the first Khichdi at the Gorakhnath temple.
"On this occasion, devotees congregate at the banks of Sangam, Prayagraj and other auspicious rivers to bathe and offer prayers. All arrangements has been done by the temple and district administrations," Adityanath said.
The Chief Minister further stated lakhs of people come to offer prayers at the Gorakhpur temple. The temple also holds a month-long Khichdi fair from the day of Makar Sankranti in the temple premises.
Urging devotees to follow Covid-19 safety protocols Yogi Adityanath said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the country was gearing up for the rollout of a vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease.
"India has got two vaccines recently which will be rolled out from January 16. The cases of Covid-19 in the state are dipping rapidly but I urge everyone to continue to follow precautions and keep wearing mask and social distancing," the chief minister said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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