The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Shiva devotees, known as Kanvarias or Bhole, to Hindu pilgrimage places such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Ajgaivinath and Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, Bihar, to fetch holy waters from the Ganges River. This year, the Kanwar Yatra is scheduled to begin today on July 22 and end on August 2. The event also celebrates Shivratri, which falls on the Triyodashi tithi in Krishna Paksha during the month of Shravan.
Happy Kanwar Yatra Wishes
- Om Namah Shivay! May Lord Shiva bless your Kanwar Yatra with strength, devotion, and a safe journey. Har Har Mahadev!
- Happy Kanwar Yatra! May each step you take bring you closer to peace and fulfillment. Bol Bam!
- Wishing you a joyous and successful Kanwar Yatra. May the holy water reach its destination with ease, and Lord Shiva shower you with blessings.
- With every chant of “Bol Bam,” may your faith grow stronger. Have a safe and spiritually enriching Kanwar Yatra!
- Embark on this sacred journey with unwavering devotion. May Lord Shiva grant you a successful Kanwar Yatra filled with blessings.
Kanwar Yatra: History
According to ancient Hindu mythology, Lord Parshuram, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, started his first Kanwar Yatra during Shravan month. He offered gangajal to Shivlingam on Trayodashi Tithi. Since then, this practice has been carried on by the saints who religiously follow Lord Shiva. Apart from males, females also take part with full enthusiasm.
Kanwar Yatra: Significance
Devotees of Lord Shiva from across the country participate in this auspicious yatra. They collect sacred Ganga water from revered places such as Rishikesh, Gangotri, Gaumukh, and Haridwar in North India. After taking a holy bath in the Ganga, devotees fill their Kanwar, a pole made from bamboo with pitchers tied at opposite ends.
They then carry the Kanwar on their shoulders. Devotees start their yatra walking by foot, while some followers are seen barefoot and reach their destination. Some also use various modes of transportation such as bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, jeeps, and mini-trucks to complete their pilgrimage.
Kanwar Yatra: Steps Taken For Safe Conduct
1. Kanwariyas are not permitted to carry weapons during their journey. There is no ban on DJs along the Yatra route, but strict limits on sound levels will be enforced.
2. The Yatra will be monitored using CCTV cameras and drone surveillance.
3. The entire yatra has been divided into 5 zones to ensure security arrangements.
4. Health and Kanwar camps will be set up at various locations along the Yatra route.
5. Separate camps have been set up for women, equipped with anti-venom injections available at health camps.
6. Heavy vehicles will not be allowed to enter the Yatra routes including Delhi Expressway, Dehradun Expressway, and Chaudhary Charan Singh Kanwar Marg starting from midnight on July 21.
7. Teams consisting of dog squads, bomb squads, IB (Intelligence Bureau), Intelligence units, and AIU (Anti-Insurgency Unit) will remain active at sensitive spots along the Yatra route.
8. The security around districts bordering Uttarakhand and key districts such as Ghaziabad, Meerut, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Barabanki, and Basti will be ensured.
9. Non-veg items such as meat or similar items will not be allowed to be sold along the Yatra route.
10. Proper sanitation measures should be implemented, and adequate street lighting should be ensured.
