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MANGALURU: Yogi Adityanath’s appointment as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has put the Kadali Sri Yogeshwar (Jogi) Math here in a celebratory mood. For, he’s central to the affairs of this math which is about 2,000km from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

 Yogi Adityanath is the Mahant of the Akhil Bharath Varshiya Awaduth Yogi Maha Sabha Bhek Bharaha Panth, which elects the head of the Mangaluru Jogi Math once in 12 years. The seers of 12 sects elect the Mangaluru Math ’Raja’ in Triambakeshwar (near Nashik) during the kumbh mela in the presence of Bharaha Panth’s office-bearers.

 Last year, the Panth elected Sri Yogi Nirmalnath, of the Bairag sect, as the new ’raja’ or matadhipati, to succeed Sri Sandhyanathji. The Kadali Math has a history spanning over 1,000 years. Only seers from the Bairag, Kaplani, Nateshwari and Ganganath sects are eligible to become the matadhipati. Each sect gets its turn after 48 years.

 Natha Pantha Karnataka secretary P Keshavanath said: "It’s a matter of pride and joy that a person from the Natha Pantha is heading the largest state of the country. We’ll draw up plans to celebrate his elevation as CM when the Pantha committee members meet on March 26."

 Keshavanath said: "He is central to this math’s affairs since the panth headed by him elects the next Raja of the Kadali Math here. He has a say in the running of all the Maths. Whoever gets the maximum number of approvals is chosen to head a particular math.’’

 Yogi Adityanath, who became Mahant of the Guru Gorakhnath Temple, following the death of Mahant Aavaidyanath on September 12, 2014, visited Mangaluru twice -- in the late 1990s after he became an MP for the first time in 1998 and later during the anointing of the new peetadhipati to the Yogeshwara Math on February 22, 2016. "He stayed for a day on both occasions. The ceremonies of the Paryaya Raja Pattabhisheka were conducted under his guidance,’’ said Keshavanath.

 The Pura Pravesha of the new Raja that happens once in 12 years is a grand affair. The Raja-elect is accompanied by over 500 seers, traversing a distance of over 1,100kms from Nashik to Mangaluru on foot. This Navanath Zhundi yatra takes about six months. The Raja carries with him the Patra Devata which is worshipped by him twice a day not only through the length of the zhundi yatra but also 12 years as matadhipati. The Zhundi yatra starts on the day of Nagara Panchami from Nashik and reaches Kadali Math about 10 days before Shivarathri. The zhundi halts at 92 places, including 17 maths. There are about 8,000 Jogi maths in the country, 80 of them in Karnataka.

The Jogi community

 There are a significant number of Jogis in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and the total population is around 25,000. According to tradition, the Kadri Jogi Math and the nearby Manjunatha Temple was a seat of Jogi culture since the time of Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath. Matsyendranath was a saint and yogi and is considered the founder of hatha yoga . He’s also seen as the founder of the Natha Sampradaya, having received the teachings from Shiva.

 Inscriptions indicate that Jogis came to this region in the 10th century. They established the permanent rule of the Kadri math by assigning a new Jogi Arasu (ruler) once in 12 years and making it a part of the Barah (12) Panths of the Jogi system. The 12 sects of Natha Panth are spread across India.

 The early Jogi members may have been from other castes and later the group was recognized as a caste by itself. Their culture is a mix of local beliefs, depending on where the Jogis settled, and rituals and a small element of Jogi mendicant culture. The burial of the deceased in a sitting position with the legs in a yoga (padmasana) position is a pointer to the latter. The Jogis and the Jogi Math of Kadri are involved with religious activities of Kadri temple.

 The community, which once comprised mendicants, is now outnumbered by those who have taken to cultivation and other occupations. The community has some unique traditions. They wear the sacred thread like some Hindus, but the thread, nine in number representing Nava Naths, is made of black sheep wool. The thread is for life and is not changed as is done by other castes. Also, it’s not worn across the shoulders, but used like a chain. At the end of the sacred thread is a small whistle, made of either silver, sandalwood or wood of bilwa patra tree, which is attached to the main thread with the help of a single rudhraksha beed. The beed is joined to the main thread with the help of a circular Pavithri made of ivory, wood or other precious metals.