The Kanwar Yatra: From a spiritual journey to BJP poll-pitch Premium

From its spiritual origins, Kanwar yatra has now grown into a Hindutva poll-plank wielded effectively by Yogi Adityanath

The story so far: This year’s annual Kanwar Yatra has grabbed the headlines for several controversies. Be it the now-stayed government order to display owners names on the nameplates of eateries, the ban on sale of non-vegetarian food or attempts to cover up mosques and mazars enroute in Haridwar, these actions have brought into sharp focus various socio-political issues surrounding the century-old ‘spiritual pilgrimage.’

Since being elected Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in 2017, Yogi Adityanath has increased the State government’s involvement in the Kanwar Yatra. While it began with showering petals on ‘Kanwariyas’ (people undertaking the yatra) via helicopters, the measures, in 2024, have increased to ordering eateries along the Kanwar yatra route to display the names of their owners.

The order was initially imposed only in Muzaffarnagar by the district police on July 18 and later modified as a request to voluntarily display names of shopkeepers to ‘prevent confusion among kanwariyas.’ However, several districts across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand issued similar orders. These were met with public outrage and backlash from Opposition parties.

With several petitions challenging the legality of these orders, the Supreme Court stayed the orders issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments. In fact, the stay has now been extended till August 5. The entire yatra will take place from July 22 to August 19 - i.e. end of Shravan, in most parts of UP. (Some regions may observe different dates.)

Let’s take a look at the significance of Kanwar yatra, its steady gain in popularity and the controversies in recent years.

As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva consumed the poison— ‘Halahala’ — which emerged during the churning of the ocean by the Devas and the asuras, turning his throat blue and earning him the moniker ‘Neelkanth.’ To cool Lord Shiva’s burning throat, the legend says, the Devas and asuras poured Ganga water on him. To commemorate this event, Lord Parashuram – the sixth Avatar (manifestation) of Lord Vishnu, is believed to have undertaken the first Kanwar yatra, carrying Ganga water in containers suspended on either side of a pole to the Bholenath temple in Haridwar.

For over a century, during the month of Shravan (mid-July to August), Shiva devotees across India have travelled to collect holy Ganga water from Haridwar, Gangotri or Gaumukh in Uttarakhand and travel back to their respective homes to offer the water at their local Shiva temples or particularly famous temples. Some of the most traversed routes by Kanwariyas are Haridwar to Mahadev temple in Rishikesh or Pura Mahadeva Temple in Baghpat, Gangotri to Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi or Baidyanath temple in Deogarh, Sultanganj to Baidyanath temple.