The nature of the Kanwar Yatra has now moved away from faith and towards demonstration and frenzy. Loud DJs, bike stunts, traffic jams, and violence have given it a bad name. In contrast, yatras like Ramdevra are still calm, disciplined, and dedicated. The reason for this is humility in devotion, administrative discipline, and lack of political interference. Now there is a need to let devotion remain devotion – with discipline, with dedication, and with responsibility towards society.
In a religious country like India, pilgrimages and religious journeys have a deep social, cultural, and spiritual significance. The purpose of these journeys is self-purification, dedication, and attainment of peace. But in recent years, some pilgrimages, especially the Kanwar Yatra, have strayed from their original form and are becoming synonymous with chaos, noise, and indiscipline.
While on one hand, lakhs of devotees travel hundreds of kilometres to places like Ramdevra in Rajasthan to offer prayers peacefully and with devotion, on the other hand, during the Kanwar Yatra, there are frequent reports of occupation of roads, dancing to the tunes of DJs, traffic jams, vandalism, and fights. The question arises – does faith mean anarchy? Why do only Kanwariyas create ruckus, while other pilgrimages take place peacefully?
The nature of faith: humility or display?
The history of religious pilgrimages in India is old – walking, fasting, rules and penance have been its core part. But the Kanwar Yatra, especially in some areas of North India, is now turning into a show of power.
Devotees now appear less like devotees and more like “impressive Shiv bhakts”. 10-15 people on bikes, trucks playing DJs, and the slogan of Har Har Mahadev in the noise – all this seems more like a symbol of show-off and factionalism than faith.
On the contrary, there is no security threat or any government formality in the pilgrimage to Ramdevra, yet there is an atmosphere of discipline and service there. Why is that so?
Masculinity and a new version of “Har Har Mahadev”
The hooliganism seen in the Kanwar Yatra today is not an embodiment of devotion but of masculinity. Sacred slogans like “Har-Har Mahadev” have often been associated with violence and violence.
This is a version of macho masculinity in which the devotee performs stunts on bikes, dances to loud music and gets into a fight if anyone says anything.
People go to Ramdevra with their families and with the blessings of their elders. The aim there is peace, service and darshan, not social media reels and glitz.
Administrative laxity and political compulsion
For the administration, the Kanwar Yatra has now become a matter of headache and not a matter of faith. Roads have to be closed, schools and colleges have to be closed forcibly, and the police do not dare to “stop” the Kanwariyas.
There is a big reason behind this – political patronage. No government wants to anger the Kanwadis, especially when religious sentiments are at their peak. The result is that some anti-social elements take advantage of this laxity and defame the entire event.
Social Media: Devotion or Branding?
Nowadays, Kanwar Yatra has another big dimension – social media promotion. There are fewer devotees and more “influencers”. Some are making reels, some are doing Facebook live, some are showing the decoration of their trucks.
Devotion has now become a process of “posing” in front of the camera. There is no such tendency at places like Ramdevra. These people connect with their mind and soul, not with their Instagram accounts.
Group power and psychological illusion
A big aspect of the Kanwar Yatra is the power of the crowd and group psychology. When hundreds and thousands of people walk together, the responsibility of the individual disappears. Someone makes a mistake, and the entire crowd turns violent in response.
In pilgrimages like Ramdevra, people go in small groups or individually. There, the discipline is individual as well as the responsibility.
The difference between faith and madness
What is being seen in the Kanwar Yatra is not devotion, but madness. This is not the religion that Lord Shiva teaches. He is a yogi, a symbol of peace and penance.
Occupying roads, vandalising vehicles, getting shops closed in the name of the same Shiva – what kind of devotion is this? Does this please God or put society in trouble?
Solution: Discipline in devotion and firmness in administration
Identification of the problem is important, but so is its solution. The following suggestions can be effective in this direction:
Religious organisations that organise the Kanwar Yatra should come forward and they themselves will have to give the message of discipline and restraint.
The administration should rise above political pressure and ensure enforcement of the law, no matter which community it belongs to.
Devotees should introspect whether their visit is pleasing or disgracing Lord Shiva.
The tendency of unnecessary show-off on social media should be discouraged, and anti-social elements should be identified and strict action should be taken against them.
