Watch: Yogi blesses disciples on Guru Purnima

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath created a history of sorts, when he donned the mantle of a 'guru' on the occasion of 'Guru Purnima' on Sunday and blessed his disciples and also accepted 'guru dakshina' (in the ancient India the students used to give something to his teachers for imparting education) at the Gorakhnath Temple, of which he was the 'mahant' (chief), in Gorakhpur.
 
Adityanath, according to the sources in the temple, blessed around one hundred saints, many of whom had arrived at the Temple from different parts of the country.

The chief priest of the Temple Kamalnath was the first to perform the 'guru puja' (worshiping the guru). He applied 'tilak' on Adityanath's forehead and also gave him Rs. 101 as 'guru dakshina'.

Before the beginning of the ceremony, Adityanath also performed 'guru puja' of his guru and other mahants' of the Temple.

Sources said that a large number of saints had arrived at the Temple to be blessed by Adityanath but only a few of them were allowed to perform the ritual. The rest were allowed to have 'darshan' of the guru inside the Temple premises.

Blessing the disciples has been an old tradition at the Gorakhnath Temple and was also an essential part of the 'Nath' monastic group. Adityanath's guru Mahant Avaidyanath and their predecessors also used to bless their disciples on 'Guru Purnima' at the Temple.

The ritual is likely to continue late into the night. A massive community feast has also been organised on this occasion.

Doubts had been expressed as to whether Adityanath would continue to follow this tradition after becoming chief minister of the state. He, however, reached Gorakhpur on Saturday.

''It is a completely new experience....never before in the past had a chief minister blessed his disciples as a guru,'' remarked a saint at the Temple.