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Gogaji (गोगाजी )
Gogaji (गोगाजी) also known as
Jahar Veer Gogga an eminent warrior-hero
is a folk deity of not only of Rajasthan but worshiped by millions of north Indian
states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Guga Navami or Goga Naumi is celebrated on the 9th day of
Krishna Paksha (waning moon) in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). This year Goga Navmi is being celebrated on August 23, 2011.
Gogaji idol shows him riding a blue horse and with a snake
coiled around his neck.
Gogaji was born in the year 946 in a village
Dadreva near Sadulpur in Churu district, Rajasthan. His father was Raja Jewar Singh of Bhagar Desh and his mother's name
was Bachal. Gogaji was born by the blessing of Guru Gorkhnath ji. Gogaji’s mother, Rani Bachal worshipped her guru Gorkhnath for 12 years to receive a boon
of a child.
In Gujarat, an annual procession is taken out in honour of the great warrior.
Hindus and Muslims both honor him. He is known as Goga among the Hindus and Jahar Peer among the Muslims. The Kaimkhani
Muslims claim descent from him and regard him as a peer (saint). Gogaji is popular as a snake-god and almost every village in Rajasthan has a Than (sacred
place) under a Khejari (खेजडी) tree
dedicated to him. Gogaji is also venerated as a saint and even as 'snake-god'. A saying about Gogaji -
Gogaji was born by the blessing of Guru gorkhnath ji. The mother of
Gogaji, Rani Bachal worship her guru Gorkhnath for 12 years for a child.
गांव-गांव खेजडी न्ह गांव-गांव गोगो
Legends
According to several Legend and lokgeets Gogaji had supernatural
powers to control snakes. His divine birth, his art of healing people bitten by snakes and controlling
venomous snakes, his marriage, dispute with cousins, wars and his final
disappearance from earth all are narrated in lokgeets. He is believed to have defeated numerous powerful kings.
Gogaji Fair
A grand fair is held at Gogamedi every year from the ninth day of the dark half of
Bhadrapada (Goga Navami) to the eleventh day of the dark half of the same
month in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan in memory of Gogaji. This year Goga navami is on
August 23, 2011 the next day of Lord Krishna *Janmashtami*.
People from every part of the country gathers at this place singing and dancing to the
beats of drums and gongs with multicolored flags called 'nishans' in their
hands. Thousands of devotees gather to pay homage at this memorial annually in the
Gogaji fair, which lasts for 3 days. It is believed that Gogaji
went into samadhi at Gogamedi. The main attractions of the fair are the Nath priests who carry whips
(replicas of 'chabuk' showed in the hands of Gogaji)
Gogaji birth place
It is said that the birth place of Gogaji was Dadrewa village
near Sadulpur (Rajgarh राजगढ़) in the
Churu
District (चूरू जिला). He was a Chauhan Rajput and
were rulers of this area during that period - around 900 AD. A fair is simultaneously
held here too in his memory. Gogaji 'samadhi' is made of marble and has two minarets and a
boundary wall. His idol shows him riding a blue horse and with a snake coiled around his neck.
The inscription in Persian at the main entrance at Goga -
meri describes Mahmud of Ghazni's regard for Gogaji. Devotees rub incense at the samadhi and offer coconuts,
'batashas' (sugar drops) and sing songs in his praise.
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