Gorakhnath

Gorakhnath is the temple of the Nath yogi Gorakhnath in Jagatsinghpur district, about 65 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. The Odisha endowments department describes it as one of the most revered shrines of the Nath tradition in the country. Gorakhnath was a follower of Matsyendranath, regarded as the founder of the Nath sampradaya, and the Nath tradition is traced in Odisha, Assam and Nepal. Devotees tie sacred threads to a large banyan tree near the temple and visit to seek spiritual strength.

Gorakhnath is a historical figure of the Nath tradition of yogis, revered as a disciple of Matsyendranath. Many devotees of the Nath path regard him as a teacher of hatha yoga, and some traditions honour him as connected with Shiva, the first teacher of yoga. The Nath tradition itself traces its...