Priests perform purifying rituals at Yogi's official bungalow

It took several hours and a series of rituals to prepare the official residence of the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

Seven priests were specially called from Gorakhpur and Allahabad for the house-warming ceremony. Yogi Adityanath, who was sworn in as the chief minister on Sunday, had been staying at the VVIP guest house here since he was elected as leader of the BJP legislature party on Saturday.

The priests arrived at the 5 Kalidas Marg official residence early in the morning and performed rituals till afternoon.

Sources said the house was “purified” with cow urine and sacred waters from the Ganga, amid chanting of vedic mantras by the priests, some of whom belonged to the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, of which Adityanath was the ‘mahant’ (religious head). About 11 litres of milk from desi cows of the temple were also brought to conduct ‘rudrabhishek’ (a special ritual for Lord Shiva) at the house.

“Mahantji also has very good knowledge of hindu rituals and vedic mantras... he himself performs rudrabhishek,” said one of the priests.

Sources said Adityanath had sent instructions to the temple priests to rush for the puja so that he could move into the official residence.

Adityanath entered the bungalow later in the day after the rituals were completed.