Gorakhnath and the Kanphata Yogis c8.85

c8.85

A number of ascetic movements refer their origin to Gorakhnāth. One of these is traced to Śaraṅnāth² or Śringnāth, who reached the height of his power after the death of the great guru. His *panth* is sometimes called the *Bāwājī kā panth*. He introduced new rules and made his disciples bore their ears and insert ear-rings of wood. After his death ten sects were founded, all growing out of his order. They are the (1) Girināth, (2) Pūrināma, (3) Sāṁsia, (4) Militant Nāgas, (5) Ajāipāl, (6) Gwālibāsada, (7) Ismāil Jogīs, (8) Āgamnāth, (9) Nīmnāth and (10) Jālandharnāth. There must be some confusion in this list, or there are duplicate names in this and the panths of the Kānphaṭas. Numbers five, six, seven, nine and ten have been discussed already. Of the others the author has seen members of the first only. At Kedārnāth, just outside of the town of Dwārahāt, in Kumāon, there is a small temple of Bhāirom. This is situated below the gate of the main temple and the *pūjārī* at the shrine was a woman of the panth. These Yogīs marry. They do not split their ears. The famous witch, Nona Camārī, belonged to the panth of Ismāil Jogīs.³