Gorakhpur Gears Up for Khichdi Mela from January 14

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday reviewed preparations for the annual Khichdi Mela to be held at the Gorakhnath Temple on the occasion of Makar Sankranti , directing officials to ensure that the safety and comfort of devotees remain the top priority .

The Khichdi Mela, one of the most significant religious events in eastern Uttar Pradesh, will begin on January 14, 2026 , coinciding with Makar Sankranti, and will continue for over a month , drawing lakhs of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Nepal , and other parts of the country, besides devotees from abroad.

During a late-evening meeting with senior officials at the Gorakhnath Temple, the Chief Minister was briefed on the arrangements being made by various departments. Expressing satisfaction over the timely completion of preparations, Adityanath asked officials to continuously review and fine-tune arrangements related to crowd management, security, sanitation, and transport.

He said the Khichdi Mela holds immense spiritual significance and instructed authorities to provide world-class facilities to devotees. The Chief Minister noted that the event also offers an opportunity to showcase Gorakhpur’s development and stressed that visitors should return with a positive and lasting impression of the city.

Adityanath instructed officials to ensure robust security arrangements, effective traffic regulation, orderly parking facilities, well-maintained roads, adequate lighting, and clean toilets and sanitation facilities throughout the mela area. He also called for arrangements for bonfires to help devotees cope with cold weather conditions.

Stressing the importance of humane accommodation, the Chief Minister said no devotee should be forced to sleep in the open . He instructed officials to ensure adequate night shelters near the mela site, equipped with beds, blankets, and proper cleanliness , so that pilgrims are accommodated with dignity.

He further emphasised strict police vigilance , smooth crowd movement, and wide publicity of transport facilities , including village-level connectivity and special mela trains operated by the Railways.

The Chief Minister said coordinated efforts by all departments were essential to ensure that the Khichdi Mela is conducted in a safe, orderly, and pilgrim-friendly manner .