Kanwar Yatra is also called 'Jal Yatra' which is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s devotees
The state of Uttarakhand had issued a statement in the month of June to dismiss the Kanwar Yatra 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had seen a massive rise in cases earlier this year which led to the second wave owing mostly to festivities and the Kumbh Mela which was attended by lakhs.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand Chief Minister, suggested that he would like to keep the Kanwar Yatra suspended and requested his counterpart Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath to reconsider his decision to allow the yatra.
Addressing the media, CM Dhami said, “Kanwar Yatra is a matter of faith but God would not want people to lose their lives for the faith. Every life is precious”. He further added, “Before me, a decision had already been taken by the state cabinet on June 30 that the Kanwar Yatra will not be allowed.” This came soon after his discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about the annual pilgrimage.
Earlier on Friday, CM Dhami said that the state government will take the decision regarding the yatra after discussing with other states, including Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. He mentioned, “Kanwar Yatra is not a one-state affair. We will discuss the issue with other states, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. A decision will be taken after the meet.”
What is Kanwar Yatra?
The Kanwar Yatra is a month-long ritual in which the devotees wear saffron-coloured clothes and walk barefooted to collect the holy water from the chosen pilgrimage destinations. This yatra is also called 'Jal Yatra' which is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s devotees. Devotees from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh take part in this yatra. The 'Kanvarias' (devotees) walk in groups during this holy yatra. While most of them travel the distance on foot, some devotees even use bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, jeeps or mini tucks to cover this journey.
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 "Kanwar Yatra")
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