Kanwar Yatra
kanwar kānvar kāvaḍ yātrā annual pilgrimage devotee shiva known kānvarias hindustani कावड़िया bhole hindustani भोले hindu pilgrimage place haridwar gaumukh gangotri uttarakhand ajgaibinath sultanganj bhagalpur bihar fetch holy water ganges river million pilgrim fetch sacred water river ganga carry shoulder hundred mile offer local śiva shrine specific temple pura mahadeva temple baghpat district augharnath temple meerut kashi vishwanath temple varanasi baidyanath temple deoghar etc kanwar yatra held july august base kanwar refers genre religious performance devotee ritually carry water holy source container suspended either side pole pilgrimage derives name sacred water carrying apparatus called kanwar source water often ganga also local equivalent offering dedicated shiva often addressed bhola innocent bhole baba innocent saint pilgrim accordingly bhola vocative bhole although little mention kanwar organized festival canonical text phenomenon surely existed early nineteenth century english traveller report seeing kanwar pilgrim many point journey north indian plain yatra used small affair undertaken saint older devotee late started gaining popularity today kanwar pilgrimage haridwar particular grown india largest annual religious gathering estimated million devotee event devotee come surrounding state delhi uttar pradesh haryana rajasthan punjab bihar jharkhand chhattisgarh odisha madhya pradesh heavy security measure undertaken government traffic delhiharidwar national highway nh diverted period kanwar yatra named kānvar कांवड़ single pole usually made bamboo two roughly equal load fastened dangling opposite end kānvar carried balancing middle pole one shoulder hindi word kānvar derived sanskrit kānvānrathi काँवाँरथी kānvarcarrying pilgrim called kānvariās carry covered waterpots kānvars slung across shoulder practice carrying kavad part religious pilgrimage especially devotee lord shiva widely followed throughout india see kavadi yatra mean journey procession kanwar yatra related churning ocean milk hindu purana poison came amrita world started burning heat shiva inhaled poison inhaling started suffering negative energy poison treta yuga shiva devout follower rama brought holy water ganga using kanwar poured shiva temple puramahadev thus releasing shiva negative energy poison multiple incident violence vandalism associated kanwar yatra national capital region uttar pradesh supreme court india made harsh remark incident year kanwar yatra cancelled due covid pandemic india uttarakhand decided suspend yatra light second wave covid country india however uttar pradesh decided move ahead yatra supreme court india took suo moto case matter bolbam refers pilgrimage festival india nepal glorifying shiva festival run monsoon month shraawan july — august taking water ganges river nearby river wind ganges pilgrim known kanwariya shiv bhaktas disciple shiva mandated travel barefooted saffron robe kanwar walking stick used hang urn water km various route usually group made family friend neighbour return local prestigious larger shiva temple pour gangajal lord shiva shiv linga month shraavana dedicated lord shiva devotee observe fast monday month also fall chaturmas period traditionally set aside religious pilgrimage bathing holy river penance annual monsoon season thousand saffronclad pilgrim carrying water ganges haridwar gangotri gaumukh glacier ganges originates holy place ganges like sultanganj place river turn north course return hometown later perform abhisheka anointing shivalingas local shiva temple gesture thanksgiving pilgrim men woman also participate yatra travel distance foot also travel bicycle motor cycle scooter mini truck jeep numerous hindu organization voluntary organization like local kanwar sanghs rashtriya swayamsevak sangh vishwa hindu parishad setup camp along national highway yatra food shelter medicalaid stand hang kanvads holding ganges water provided smaller pilgrimage also undertaken place like prayagraj varanasi shravani mela major festival deoghar jharkhand thousand saffronclad pilgrim bringing holy water ganges sultanganj covering distance kilometre foot offer lord baidyanath shiva till yatra confined saint old devotee rich marwaris neighbouring city phenomenon seen considerable rise recent year famous hindu yatras hindu pilgrimage site india list hindu festival padayatra ratha yatra tirtha tirtha kshetra choudhary para kumar sociology pilgrim kalpaz publication isbn