Mahant Avaidyanath

2021-09-25T06:36:30Z

2402:3A80:15D7:F9C:0:E:1F2E:9601: Correct

{{short description|Indian Politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Mahant Avaidyanath 2015 stamp of India.jpg
| office = [[Member of parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start2 = January 1970
| constituency2 = [[Gorakhpur (Lok Sabha Constituency)|Gorakhpur]]
| predecessor2 = [[Digvijay Nath|Mahant Digvijay Nath]]
| successor2 = Narsingh Narain Pandey
| office3 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] in [[Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh]]
| term_start3 = March 1962
| term_end3 = February 1980 (5 Times)
| successor3 = Hari Dwar Pandey
| constituency3 = [[Maniram (Vidhan Sabha constituency)]]
| predecessor3 = Keshav Pandey
| term_start = December 1989
| constituency =
| predecessor = Madan Pandey
| successor = [[Yogi Adityanath]]
| prior_term =
| birth_name = Kripal Singh Bisht
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1921|05|28}}
| birth_place = Kandi, [[Pauri Garhwal district]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] (now in [[uttrakhand]])
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2014|09|12|1921|05|28}}
| death_place = [[Gorakhpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| birthname =
| nationality = Indian
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| education =
| occupation = Politician, preacher
| signature =
| website =
| term_end = March 1998
| footnotes =
| awards =
| term_end2 = March 1971
}}
'''Mahant Avaidyanath''' (born '''Kripal Singh Bisht''', 28 May 1921 – 12 September 2014) was an Indian politician and [[Hindu]] preacher. He was the [[Mahant]] (chief priest) of [[Gorakhnath Temple]], succeeding his guru [[Digvijay Nath]]. He was also a politician of the [[Hindu Mahasabha]] and, later [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], being elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] from [[Gorakhpur (Lok Sabha Constituency)|Gorakhpur]] four times. He played an important role in the [[Ram Janmabhoomi]] movement. He was the mentor and guru of [[Uttar Pradesh]] Chief Minister [[Yogi Adityanath]].<ref name=village>
[http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/yogi-adityanaths-village-celebrates-advice-from-chief-ministers-father-1671266 As Yogi Adityanath's Village Celebrates His Rise, Advice From His Father], NDTV News, 20 March 2017.
</ref><ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/92-yr-old-Avaidyanath-hopes-to-see-temple/articleshow/6661784.cms 92-yr-old Avaidyanath hopes to see temple]. ''Times of India''. 1 October 2010
</ref>

== Career ==
===Religious===
Avaidyanath succeeded ''[[Mahant]]'' [[Digvijay Nath]] as the head of [[Gorakhnath Math]]. Upon his death in 2014, he was succeeded by [[Yogi Adityanath]] (Ajay Mohan Bisht).<ref name=ht0317>{{citation |title=This Muslim volunteer shares a special bond with Yogi Adityanath |url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/this-muslim-volunteer-shares-a-special-bond-with-yogi/story-rcNFSOsmARB8GrGwlyGB7H.html |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=20 March 2017 }}</ref>

===Political===
Avaidyanath was elected [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] from [[Maniram (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Maniram Assembly]] segment five times – 1962, 1967, 1969 (resigned mid-term), 1974 and 1977, variously as Independent or Hindu Mahasabha's or Janata Party's candidate. He was elected Lok Sabha member from [[Gorakhpur (Lok Sabha Constituency)|Gorakhpur]] as an Independent candidate in 1970 but lost 1971 General Election when Indira wave swept India. He won again in 1989 as candidate of [[Hindu Mahasabha]]. He was elected MP from the same seat in 1991 and 1996 as [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] nominee.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/ram-temple-movement-leader-avaidyanath-passes-away/#sthash.b9obEOP8.dpuf
|title=Ram Temple movement leader Avaidyanath passes away
|date= 13 September 2014
|work=[[Indian Express]]
}}</ref> He retired from electoral politics after that, and his protege Yogi Adityanath was elected to Lok Sabha in 1998 General Election.

=== Religio-political ===
Mahant Avaidyanath was a leader of the [[Ram Janmabhoomi]] movement, founding the ''Sri Ramjanmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti'' (Committee of sacrifice to liberate Ram's birthplace) in 1984. In September of that year, the ''Samiti'' launched a "religious procession with Hindu nationalist slogans" from Sitamarhi in Bihar to Ayodhya, with the mission of 'liberating' the Ram temple. Avaidyanath gave sermons exhorting the listeners to give votes only to those parties that promised to liberate the Hindu sacred places.<ref name=Jaffrelot>{{citation |last=Jaffrelot |first=Christophe |authorlink=Christophe Jaffrelot|title=The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers |year=1996 |isbn=978-1850653011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iVsfVOTUnYEC&pg=PA362 |pages=362–364}}</ref>

== Death ==
He died on 12 September 2014 in [[Gorakhpur]].<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/former-mp-mahant-avaidyanath-passes-away_1469076.html
|title=Mahant Avaidyanath passes away
|date= 13 September 2014
|work=[[Zee News]]
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.jagran.com/news/national-mahant-avaidyanath-passes-away-11625852.html
|title=गोरक्षापीठाधीश्वर महंत अवेद्यनाथ का निधन
|date= 12 September 2014
|work=Jagran
|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.livehindustan.com/news/desh/national/article1-mahant-awaidyanath-gorakhnath-temple-death--39-39-450851.html
|title=श्रीरामजन्मभूमि आंदोलन के नेता महंत अवेद्यनाथ ब्रह्मलीन
|date= 12 September 2014
|work=Live Hindustan
|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.livehindustan.com/news/desh/national/article1-story-39-39-450855.html
|title=काशी के संतों ने कहा, समाज के लिए गौरव थे अवेद्यनाथ
|date= 12 September 2014
|work=Live Hindustan
|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/national/yogi-adityanath-ex-bjp-mp-mahant-maharaj-avedyanath-died/148139.html#sthash.EsdZW1O1.dpuf
|title=पूर्व भाजपा सांसद व गोरक्षापीठाधीश्‍वर महंत अवेद्यनाथ का निधन
|date= 12 September 2014
|work=Prabhakar Khabar
|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref name=ht0317/> [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Narendra Modi]] said he was "Saddened over the demise of Mahant Avaidyanath ji. He will be remembered for his patriotic zeal and determined efforts to serve society."

Home Minister [[Rajnath Singh]] and UP BJP president [[Laxmikant Bajpai]] also sent condolences on his death.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/former-mp-mahant-avaidyanath-passes-away_1469076.html
|title=Former MP Mahant Avaidyanath passes away
|date= 13 September 2014
|work=[[Zee News]]
}}</ref>

== Commemoration ==
A stamp is being released to mark the first death anniversary of Avaidyanath, who was also spiritual father of the current UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He died on 12 September 2014 at the age of 93.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avaidyanath, Mahant}}
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Gorakhpur]]
[[Category:4th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:9th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:10th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:11th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1962–1967]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu missionaries]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Hindu Mahasabha politicians]]

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Mahant Avaidyanath