UP man celebrates divorce by undertaking 12-hour 'dandawat yatra' to temple

Divorce can be a moment of heartbreak for some and relief for others; however, for a 25-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, it led to an unusual display of devotion. He marked his divorce by undertaking a 9-km ‘dandawat yatra’ to a local temple during Navratri.

The man, identified as Jogesh from Narkhoria village in the Sonha police station area of Ramnagar, completed the physically demanding journey on Sunday. The ritual, which involves lying fully prostrate on the ground and moving forward step by step, took him nearly 12 hours to finish.

According to a TOI report, Jogesh began the yatra early in the morning and reached the Baida Samay Mata temple by evening, observing a day-long fast throughout the journey. The videos of the act went viral on social media, bringing the incident into public attention.

Chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Bajrangbali” along the way, Jogesh said the act was in fulfillment of a vow he had made during a difficult phase in his marriage.

He got married in 2022 and has since faced repeated disputes with his wife, eventually seeking a divorce through a family court. The divorce was finalised in January 2026.

After the legal proceedings concluded, Jogesh decided to honour his promise to the deity. Upon reaching the temple, he offered prayers, broke a coconut, and ended his fast.

Local authorities said the yatra was conducted with prior permission. The sub-divisional magistrate had approved his request, and police made arrangements to ensure his safety. Station house officer Mahesh Singh said a constable was deployed along the route to monitor the procession.

Jogesh was accompanied by his family members, while several villagers gathered along the route to show their support.