The Kanvar Yatra in Sawan

Every year in the holy month of Sawan (usually between July-August), devotees and followers of Lord Shiva embark on a yatra (journey) carrying pots, pitches of holy water from the rivers and shower them on Shivlings and idols of Lord Shiva and offer prayers for welfare, wellbeing and good fortunes in their lives. Sawan being the birth month of Lord Shiva - the God of Reliever and Rebirth is believed to be auspicious. We can please Him by offering holy water from the river Ganges or its branches, pure milk, leaves of Bel (Bilva tree), blue-coloured Dhatura flowers, haldi, ash, honey or other flowers.

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The Trinity of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Maheshwara is the supreme among all deities and are revered by Hindus worldwide. Lord Shiva is the Salvator - Destroyer of evil, pain and suffering thus providing the way of Resurrection, Rebirth, Salvation and happiness or prosperity. Lord Shiva is also called Bholenath meaning the innocent deity one who can be pleased with a measly offering of pure water and leaves of Bel. According to the holy texts, the Sawan month is said to be the birth month of Lord Shiva. Hence, it is believed that offering prayers and worship on this month enables one to receive His blessings easily. The history of the Kanvar Yatra according to Professor Devi Prasad Dubey of the University of Allahabad can be traced to the 1700s, when pilgrims and devotees would carry the holy Gangajal from Sultanganj to pour it at the shrine of Lord Vaidyanath in Deoghar, Jharkhand. By the 1960s, the yatra gained popularity and spread across north India and other parts. Now, it has come to be India's largest annual religious gathering with an estimated 30 million devotees arriving in 2023 and 2024 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Devotees come from neighboring states like Delhi, UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, MP etc.

The Kanwar Yatra is named after the Kanvar pole (made of bamboo) with two earthen pots, hung alongside each shoulder, filled with the holy water of the rivers to be showered on Shivlingas in temples or other places. The Kanvar-carrying pilgrims called Kanvariyas bear a great deal of physical as well as psychological toil in the process. They have to take  

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vegetarian food or fast completely, bath and start early - before sunrise - dressed in saffron dhotis, kurtas or shawls and walk bare-foot to the rivers. They chant Bole-Bom or Har Har Mahadev or devotional songs all along. The government and local authorities also arrange for easy route by diverting regular traffic along with providing security or medical aid to the needy Kanwariyas. NGOs and voluntary organizations offer drinking water or fruit juices to them. Since a large number of yatris participate yearly, it has become a popular as well as an aesthetic occasion now. The yatra is held on Monday for the entire month of Sawan. 

However, increasing modernity has changed the yatra to more pompous now. DJ bands, professional singers on top of trucks or trolleys sing all along the route. Right from the night before such music starts which probably hampers the sleep of the people living nearby. Moreover, alcoholism and other addictions also add to the chaos. Hooliganism can also be seen there, sometimes leading to violence in neighborhood shops, public property, river sides etc. These are definitely not acceptable. Well-organized and disciplined yatra and arrangements for same is the need of the hour. Since, the participation of the youngsters is more in the yatra hence a sense of devotion and religious sacrilege is very encouraging. The yatra is meant to show our dedication, devotion and our faith in the Lord. We have to be fully immersed on the same and no other. The mercy, blessing as well as the faith will bring us peace, progress, success as well as prosperity both in our personal, social or our public lives.