In the pilgrim town of Pushkar in Rajasthan, a foreign-born yogini has begun an extraordinarily tough penance during Gupt Navratri, standing continuously for nine days and nine nights without ever sitting down. The ritual began on July 15 and will continue through July 24, drawing large numbers of devotees and spiritual seekers to the town every single day to witness it.
Who is Yogini Annapurna Nath and what is Khandeshwari Tapasya
The penance is being performed by Annapurna Nath, a foreign-born yogini who took up the vow of Khandeshwari Tapasya to mark the auspicious period of Gupt Navratri. For the entire nine-day span, she will neither sit to rest nor lie down, remaining on her feet around the clock while chanting, meditating and worshipping. The ritual is being carried out under the guidance of Yogi Guru Deepak Nath, who says the yogini must follow extremely strict spiritual discipline throughout, and that within the Nath sect this form of tapasya is regarded as one of the most difficult and highest-order penances a practitioner can undertake.
Why Gupt Navratri makes this penance more significant
According to Yogi Guru Deepak Nath, shakti sadhana carries far greater weight during the days of Gupt Navratri than at other times of the year, which is why penance performed in this window is believed to carry a much deeper spiritual effect. Khandeshwari Tapasya is described as an important part of the Nath sect's ancient tradition of sadhana, in which a practitioner follows extremely rigid rules and meditates on the divine while remaining continuously on their feet. Guru Deepak Nath adds that the purpose of this penance is not personal spiritual attainment alone but is directed at public welfare, world peace and the wellbeing of humanity at large.
She earlier completed 21 days of fire penance
This is not the first time Annapurna has undertaken such a demanding sadhana in Pushkar. She previously completed 21 consecutive days of fire penance amid nine burning dhunis during the peak heat of the Jyeshtha month. Her repeated feats of austerity have once again turned Pushkar into a focal point for rigorous tapasya, yoga practice and spiritual ritual, with both local residents and devotees travelling from far away arriving daily for a glimpse of her.
