7 - The Significance of Tantric Sects for Drum Practice in the Central Himalayas

Summary

Gorakhnath is a tantric figure revered by a number of Hindu Shaivite sects. These sects exist particularly in Nepal, but are also found elsewhere in, or near, the Himalayas as well as in parts of northern India including Rajasthan and Bengal. However, Gorakhnath is a particularly significant figure for many in the Himalayas. For instance, Maskarinec (1995: 7) mentions that shamans in Nepal regard Gorakhnath as the ‘highest’ spiritual authority. The suffix –nāth literally means ‘lord’ or ‘master’, and thus is used in many contexts. Most broadly, this suffix is used in association with the names of specific temples and their principal deities, such as Kedarnath, Tungnath, or Bodinath, highlighting the reverence people hold for these places of worship and their deities. In addition many people more generally refer to ‘Naths’ as those who follow the teachings of Gorakhnath. They are also referred to as Gorakhpanth – meaning the sect(s) (paṅth) of Gorakhnath.

Little is really known about Gorakhnath as an actual historical figure. He may have lived about a thousand years ago and his teachings as well as those of his guru, Matsyendranath, have shaped an esoteric philosophical tradition that is carried on today by Gorakhpanthis. Kanphata Yogis are the most well-known sect of ascetics who revere Gorakhnath as their founder and primary gurū. As Bharati (1982: 873) suggests, the sect is not only a tantric (Shaivite and Shakta) order but also has connections with the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.