Lending a social touch to yatra

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 3

Since ages, the Kanwar pilgrimage has been associated with devotion. But with changing times, some devoted kanwariyas are giving it a different touch.

Apart from ferrying the holy Ganga jal on beautifully decorated bamboo kanwars, the Lord Shiva devotees—Kanwariyas— are also giving social messages during their pilgrimage.

Kanwariyas are coming to fetch holy Ganga jal from sanctum sanctorum of Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri, adjacent Ganga ghats, Neelkanth shrine in Pauri Garhwal, confluence of Bhagirathi-Alaknanda tributaries in Deoprayag and upper reaches of Gangotri shrine and Gaumukh-from where Ganga flows from the Himalayas, and generating awareness through traditional Kanwars.

From female foeticide, cleaning of the Ganga river, women empowerment, conservation of environment to patriotism, the younger lot of Kanwariyas are giving numerous social messages through their Kanwars.

The Kanwariyas from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and even Kumaon region of the state, are seen actively promoting social causes.

Teerth purohit Anshul Shri Kunj sees this as the younger generation’s touch to the ancient pilgrimage.

Relating this with mass usage of social media, educationist Dr Sunil Kumar Batra pointed out that when the younger generation was active on internet, where they expressed their opinion or expression on varied social issues boldly, it bodes well that they had given the pilgrimage a social touch too.

While huge, decorative Kanwars have been a major attraction for local people, pilgrims and tourists at the fair, the social messages being disseminated are also attracting eyes.

Kanwariya Sharad Kumar from Uddham Singh Nagar district has decorated his Kanwar with messages of love. He wanted to convey the message of love and harmony through his pilgrimage, he claimed.

People are not only seeing and reading these social messages but are also appreciating the noble idea of the young Kanwariyas.

Shiv Moorti square resident Arun Ohri, who used to sell Kanwar-related items and accessories a decade ago, said earlier Kanwars were usually decorated with color bands and religious deities’ photos or hymn signs such as ‘Om’ or ‘Gayatri Mantra’.

“But now, with advanced technologies in printing, flex and decorative material, the younger generation wants to give a distinct touch to their Kanwars. But it is fine as long as it does not hurt the core concept of the pilgrimage,” Arun added.