Gorakhpur, in eastern Uttar Pradesh, is my hometown. It is the kind of place whose identity can be compressed into a memorable line—and then opened back up into something much richer.
The old shorthand
In the early 1990s, a cheeky description of Gorakhpur was:
“Mahant, Machhar aur Mafia”—the mahant, the mosquitoes, and the mafia.
It captured parts of the city’s public reputation at the time: the influence of the Gorakhnath Math, mosquitoes that needed no introduction, and an era associated with strongmen and organized crime. It was memorable, but it was never the whole story—and it should not be mistaken for a description of the city today.
A city of spiritual and publishing traditions
Gorakhpur is closely associated with Gorakhnath and the Gorakhnath Math, which remains one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
It is also home to Gita Press, the historic publisher of Hindu religious and spiritual literature. Its books have travelled much farther than the name of the city printed on their title pages.
There is another connection that still surprises people: Paramahansa Yogananda was born in Gorakhpur in 1893. If you have read—or have been meaning to read—Autobiography of a Yogi, his story began in my hometown.
That combination feels more representative of the Gorakhpur I want to share: spiritual traditions, widely travelled books, complicated history, and a sense of humour about its own reputation.