Mahant Avaidyanath

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Mahant Avaidyanath 2015 stamp of India.jpg

| office = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

| term_start = December 1989

| constituency = Gorakhpur

| predecessor = Madan Pandey

| successor = Yogi Adityanath

| term_start2 = January 1970

| predecessor2 = Mahant Digvijay Nath

| successor2 = Narsingh Narain Pandey

| office3 = Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly

| term_start3 = March 1962

| term_end3 = February 1980 (5 times)

| constituency3 = Maniram

| predecessor3 = Keshav Pandey

| successor3 = Haridwar Pandey

| birth_name = Kripal Singh Bisht

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1921|05|28}}

| birth_place = Kandi, Garhwal District, United Provinces, British India (present-day Pauri Garhwal district, 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

| otherparty = Hindu Mahasabha, Janata Party{{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

}}

| spouse =

| children =

| residence =

| education =

| occupation = Politician, monk

| signature =

| website =

| term_end = March 1998 (3 times)

| footnotes =

| awards =

| term_end2 = March 1971

| module = {{Infobox religious biography|embed=yes

| religion = Hinduism

| denomination = Shaivism

| school = Yoga

| sect = Nath Sampradaya

| lineage = Guru Gorakhnath

| guru = Mahant Digvijaynath

| disciples = Yogi Adityanath

| post = Mahant

| temple = Gorakhnath Math

| ordination = 1969

| period = 1969–2014

| predecessor = Mahant Digvijaynath

| successor = Yogi Adityanath

}}}}

Mahant Avaidyanath (born Kripal Singh Bisht, 28 May 1921–12 September 2014) was an Indian politician and the head priest (Mahant) of the Gorakhnath Math, a prominent Hindu temple in Gorakhpur.[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 He was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha and, later Bharatiya Janata Party; and got elected to the Indian parliament (Lok Sabha) from Gorakhpur four times. He played an important role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He is better known as the mentor and guru of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.[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 [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.

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).{{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 }}

=Political=

Avaidyanath was elected MLA from 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 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.{{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

}} 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.{{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}}

Death

He died on 12 September 2014 in Gorakhpur.{{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

}}{{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}}{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi said he was "saddened over the demise of Mahant Avaidyanath ji", and that 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.{{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

}}

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 95.