The Kanwar Yatra begins today (July 22), the first day of the Hindu month of Shravan. More than three crore Shiv devotees are expected to take part in the yatra this year. Every year, the kanwariyas, devotees of Shiva, transport Ganga water to their hometowns to offer to the Lord, mostly from Haridwar in Uttarakhand or Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.
This yatra has gained popularity in recent years, with participants – mostly men – dressed in saffron, holding flags featuring Shiva and carrying pots of plastic, brass or steel with the holy water. Let’s take a closer look. Kanwar Yatra’s rising popularity The Kanwar Yatra procession sees Kanwariyas collecting water from the Ganga and carrying it hundreds of kilometres to offer it in temples of Lord Shiva.
According to Hindus, Parshuram, a devotee of Shiva and an avatar of Lord Vishnu, ventured on the first procession. In 2022, about four crore people collected Ganga water in Haridwar alone. Last year, a total of 4.
07 crore kanwariyas, including 21 lakh women, visited Haridwar and over 46 lakh vehicles reached the holy city between July 4 and 15. The rush of dak kanwariyas, who carry Ganga water to their hometowns on bikes or vehicles without stopping during the procession, had triggered traffic blockades for 10-12 hours at several locations in Haridwar. At least 13 devotees had lost their lives, with three due to drowning and others from accidents.
This year, crores of Kanwariyas are likely to make the journey again. Reason.