Swami Gagangiri Maharaj was an Indian Hindu saint and Guru of the Nath Sampradaya.

Shri Gagangiri Maharaj was born as Shripad Patankar in a village named Mandure in Patan, Satara district of Maharashtra.

Gagangiri maharaj was a child prodigy and mastered several shastras, yoga and various Tantras at a very young age.

He travelled to far and wide places such as Nepal, Bhutan, Manas Sarovar, Gaurishankar, Gorakshdarbar, Gorakhpur, Pashupatinath and returned to Almora.

Finally, he travelled through the Valley of Ganga, Himachal Pradesh and reached Badrika Ashram.

Gagangiri Maharaj was extremely tired as a result of his peregrinations and he decided to rest in a cave.

Maharaj ji was followed by various high-ranking officials and ministers like Yashwantrao Chavan, Balasaheb Desai, Rajarambapu Patil, Patangrao Kadam Swamiji then decided to travel all over India alone on foot yet again and accordingly his journey started.

At Bhopal while he was taking rest after bath near a tank, the princely ruler of Kolhapur and his retinue happened to be nearby while on a brief visit.

In Bombay between 1948 and 1950, he stayed in Dadi Hirji Parsi graveyards, near the temple of Maruti, at shidi near Walkeshwar.

[5] Interestingly, the rosary of rudraksha which Balasaheb generally held in his hands was a blessing given to him by Gagangiri Maharaj.