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Kanwar Yatra: Millions Trek with Ganga Water in North India
Every year, millions of people in North India walk or travel with pots of holy river water from the Ganges.
They carry it to temples to offer it to the god Shiva.
The journey starts in July and ends in August.
The story comes from a myth where Shiva drank a deadly poison and the river helped cool him.
The pilgrimage grew slowly from the 1700s and became huge in the 1980s because roads improved and more people could join.
It also gives young men a chance to show courage and work together, breaking old social barriers.
Millions of saffron-clad pilgrims carry Ganga water across North India each July–August.
The pilgrimage, linked to the myth of Shiva swallowing poison, occurs during the Hindu month of Shravan.
Pilgrims gather water from sites like Sultanganj, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar, and carry it to Shiva temples, especially the 12 Jyotirlingas.
The practice grew slowly from the 1700s, accelerating in the 1980s due to better connectivity, rising Hindu identity, and increased income.
Scholars note the Yatra offers marginalized men a socially inclusive platform to demonstrate moral resolve and challenge caste hierarchies.
- Who
- Devotees called kanwariyas, mainly young men from North India
- What
- Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage carrying Ganga water to Shiva temples
- Where
- Across North India, starting at sites like Sultanganj, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar, and ending at major Shiva temples
- When
- July 30 – August 11, 2024
- Why
- Religious belief linked to Shiva's swallowing of poison, auspicious month Shravan, and social inclusion for marginalized participants
Key facts
- Event
- Kanwar Yatra
- Dates
- July 30 – August 11, 2024
- Participants
- Millions of pilgrims
- Key Sites
- Sultanganj, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar, 12 Jyotirlingas
- Origin
- 1700s in Bihar's Sultanganj
Quotes
Dr Ramesh Kumar Upadhyay
President of the Bhartiya Jyotish Aadhyatm Parishad, Jamshedpur
“"Some temples are more popular than others, but it is not necessary for a devotee to go to one of these. Ganga water can be offered to Lord Shiva in the local town or village temple."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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