Gorakhnath and the Kanphata Yogis c6.97

c6.97

The Kānphaṭas possess many monasteries, of which there are a number of importance.³ Some of these occupy very old religious sites whose history undoubtedly long antedates the rise of the Gorakhnāthīs. There is no fixed rule of superiority amongst the monasteries; but that at Ṭilla, in the Panjab, is generally considered to be the chief seat of the Gorakhnāthīs. The abbot at Gorakhpur claims authority over the establishments in the United Provinces, and regions to the south look to this place as their chief authority. This monastery claims to supervise some 360 lesser establishments. However, the nearby monastery at Tulsipur is related to that at Sawārikot in Nepāl and is independent of Gorakhpur. The head of the Gorakhpur establishment was, in 1924, of the Dharamnāth sub-sect, while that at Tulsipur belonged to the Ratannāth branch of Gorakhnāthīs. There may be some relation between Gorakhpur and Dhinodhar where the Yogīs are known as Dharamnāthīs. Yet, the pīr at Dhinodhar belongs to the Santnāth sect of the Panjab and Nepāl. The chief monasteries seem to be more or less independent of each other. The chief seats of the Yogīs exercise wide influence.