New Delhi: As the fortnight-long Kanwar Yatra concluded on the occasion of Sawan Shivratri on Wednesday, a large number of devotees, who travelled several kilometers to collect the holy water of river Ganga, performed ‘jalabhishek’ at Shiva temples across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and other states.
More than 4.5 crore devotees reached Uttarakhand’s Haridwar within a fortnight this year to collect Ganga water during the Kanwar Yatra that began on July 11, according to Mela Control Room data.
The streets resonated with chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Bam Bam Bhole’ as kanwariyas made a beeline outside temples and waited for their turn to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva.
A seemingly endless stream of saffron-clad devotees was seen at the Dakshaprajapati Mahadev temple complex in Haridwar’s Kankhal. which is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva’s in-laws.
According to mythological beliefs, keeping a promise made to his father-in-law King Daksha, Lord Shiva resides in Kankhal for the entire month of Shravan.
Other Shivalayas of Kankhal, like the Daridra Bhanjan, Tilbhandeshwar, Bilveshwar, Neeleshwar and Gaurishankar temples, also drew large crowds of devotees.
Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit and Senior Superintendent of Police Pramod Dobal also performed Ganga puja at Har Ki Pauri along with their subordinate officials.
They took water from there and performed ‘jalabhishek’ at the Daksha temple, expressing gratitude to Lord Shiva for the smooth conclusion of the Kanwar fair attended each year by crores of devotees.
In Uttar Pradesh, Shiva temples across the region witnessed scores of devotees offering prayers to Lord Shiva on Wednesday.
A large crowd of devotees has gathered at Varanasi’s famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Flowers were also showered on the worshippers, CEO of the temple Vishwa Bhushan Mishra said.
Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal assured that “special surveillance” is being maintained through CCTV cameras and drones to ensure law and order.
The ancient Kartikeya Mahadev Temple in Sambhal which reopened earlier this year after nearly 46 years also saw a significant turnout of devotees.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Vikas Chandra, who performed ‘jalabhishek’ at the temple, said that authorities are working hard to restore Sambhal’s ‘lost identity’.
Deepak Kumar, a devotee who came to offer his prayers at the temple, said, “We are blessed to have had the opportunity to worship and perform ‘jalabhishek’ at this ancient temple.”
At the Sadat Bari Shiva Temple in Bahjoi, District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya and Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar showered flowers on the pilgrims.
A dedicated service camp was established on the Moradabad road in Chandausi under the supervision of Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary, where kanwariyas returning from their pilgrimage were provided with fruits and a ‘bhandara’.
Meanwhile, a state level boxer, Kritika Thakur , became the first woman in Himachal Pradesh to complete a 600-km-long Kanwar Yatra on foot, by carrying Ganga water from Gaumukh to her hometown in Mandi’s Derdu village.
Thakur undertook the challenging pilgrimage for the second consecutive year during the month of Sawan.
After successfully completing the kanwar yatra from Haridwar to Sundernagar in 2024, she resolved to test her strength and devotion further this year by trekking from Gaumukh, located in the high-altitude terrains of Uttarakhand.
She concluded her journey by performing the ‘jalabhishek’ of the Shivling at her village’s Omkareshwar temple using the Ganga water she carried on foot.
Nothing is difficult if you are determined, Thakur told PTI, adding that her father, who has been undertaking the yatra for the past 11 years, is her inspiration.
While the Kanwar Yatra concluded with religious fervor on Wednesday, some accidents also claimed the lives of a few kanwariyas.
In Rajasthan, two people died and 30 others got injured when a truck carrying kanwariyas came in contact with a hanging overhead power line in a village in Alwar district on Wednesday.
The group of kanwariyas and locals were performing a parikrama of the Beechganwa village in a DJ truck when the vehicle came in contact with a live wire. After the parikrama, the group was to head towards a temple.
In Madhya Pradesh, four kanwariyas died and two others got injured after being hit by a speeding car in Gwalior district in the early hours of the day.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident and announced an assistance of ₹4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased persons, the official said.
