Even without Yogi Adityanath, his darbar open to people

GORAKHPUR: The telephone lines at Gorakhnath temple office have never stopped ringing after five-time Bharatiya Janata Party MP and the temple's chief priest Yogi Aditya Nath was sworn in as the state's new chief minister on March 19. The `chitthi' tradition was introduced by the saffron leader to address public grievances. He used to hear locals' problems on the temple campus every day from 9am to 11am and tried to help them irrespective of their religion or caste.

Locals are hopeful that `Mahantji', as he is popularly referred to in Gorakhpur, would have answers to all their problems. Nearby , the incessant sound of a person typing is hard to ignore. “Since he became the CM, the number of complaints has doubled. A huge number of people from all walks of society, even from neighboring districts used to come to Yogi darbar in the morning to get help,“ said Dwarika Tiwari, office superintendent of temple office. “I have seen him helping people with his letters, money and even telephone calls. On the direction of Maharajji we try to help people in all possible ways even in his absence.Maharajji always tried to help people and told us that no one should return empty handed,“ Tiwari added.

Rafiullah Ansari, who is a weaver by profession, had come to Yogi Darbar to request help with his granddaughter's treatment who had met with an accident recently .The Naurangabad resident told TOI, “The doctors have asked me to bring an injection which is very expensive in market and I have come here to get it from district hospital.This is the first time I have come here. Baba (Yogi) has helped me whenever I have sought his help. He never discriminates while helping people in his morning darbar.“

The three landline phones continuously ring at the office and deluge of letter requests is too much to handle for the two typewriters in the office during Yogi darbar. One of the typists, Virendra Singh said, “ It is not a tradition of the office to discriminate between people on the basis of religion or caste. Maharajji helps everyone who comes here.“ “Since Mahrajji has become CM, his website is flooded with huge number of messages. Apart from congratulations many have send messages regarding their problems and we are replying them through emails,“ Tiwari added.

Dheeraj Kumar, who owns a shop in the city, said, “I have come here to get a train reservation as I urgently need to go to New Delhi for my mother's health checkup, who is very ill.“