After Ram, Shiva and Krishna, UP plans a Guru Gorakhnath spiritual corridor

Officials said the objective is to connect Nath sites that are currently scattered across regions into a single, navigable route through better infrastructure, visitor facilities and branding. The planned corridor seeks to integrate religious sites from Mahoba and Chitrakoot in Bundelkhand region, Bareilly in the West, Amethi and Ayodhya in Central UP, to Gorakhpur and Balrampur in the East.

Work is underway at Trivati Nath Temple in Bareilly, an important historic shrine drawing local devotees and pilgrims. (Express Photo)

“Gorakhpur will serve as the principal anchor and spiritual gateway of the Guru Gorakhnath circuit. Devotees come from as far as Nepal and there is pilgrim footfall throughout the year… With Gorakhpur at the centre, we are connecting sites linked to the Nath tradition into a spiritual circuit,” Jaiveer Singh, Tourism and Culture Minister, told The Indian Express.

As part of this push, the government has begun upgrading key Nath-associated locations.

In Mahoba, the Gorakhgiri Parvat — regarded as an important site of Nath meditation — has recently been developed under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme at a cost of Rs 11.21 crore, with facilities ranging from meditation and interpretation centres to access pathways, an open air theatre, sanitation and tourist amenities.

Officials said the idea is to position it as both a spiritual and eco-tourism destination while supporting local livelihoods.

Sources said in Bareilly, seven prominent temples associated with the Nath sect are being upgraded with improved pilgrim facilities, restoration work and visitor infrastructure. These include Alakhnath Temple at Rs 11.67 crore; Trivati Nath Temple at Rs 6.55 crore, Tulsi Math Temple at Rs 9.71 crore and Pashupatinath Temple with Rs 2.98 crore.

In Mahoba, the Gorakhgiri Parvat has recently been developed, with facilities ranging from meditation and interpretation centres to access pathways, sanitation and tourist amenities. (Express Photo)

In Amethi, construction of a 25-foot bronze statue of Guru Gorakhnath, seated in a yogic pose, has been approved by the state government in Jais, which is regarded as his birthplace. Around Rs 2 crore has already been released and officials said the project has achieved nearly 25% physical progress.

Sources said the statue complex is expected to emerge as a symbolic landmark for the circuit.

The Nath footprint is also being woven into Chitrakoot, where the Gorakhnath Cave and Paleshwarnath Temple hill are being integrated into the tourism framework, and Balrampur, where the Devi Patan Temple — located close to the Nepal border — is seen as crucial because of its long-standing association with Nath traditions and cross-border pilgrim traffic.

Pashupatinath Temple in Bareilly is being developed as part of the Nath circuit at Rs 2.98 crore. (Express Photo)

“Our effort is to connect smaller districts and centres of religious faith with the tourism network… We hope connectivity of the corridor with Nath tradition centres in Uttarakhand will become stronger in the future, especially once the proposed Ganga Expressway extension from Meerut to Haridwar is completed,” the tourism minister said.

Officials said discussions are also underway to strengthen pilgrimage linkages with Nepal, particularly regions such as Kathmandu and Gorkha, which share deep historical associations with the Nath sect. The long-term vision, they said, is to create a wider trans-regional spiritual route centred on Guru Gorakhnath traditions across northern India and Nepal.

“Guru Gorakhnath’s influence extends across several Indian states, while Nepal remains one of the strongest centres of the Nath tradition outside India. A structured circuit can attract pilgrims as well as heritage and cultural travellers,” said Amrit Abhijat, Additional Chief Secretary for tourism, culture and religious affairs.