India's famous Kaawad Yatra
Which festival do you celebrate?
-Every July/August, during the month of Sawan, around 30 crores devotees embark on a remarkable pilgrimage across North India.
-Those devotees are known as kanwariyas.
-These pilgrims mostly hail from states like Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
-They carry sacred water from the Ganga River in decorated pots called Kanwar.
-The water is collected from holy sites in Uttarakhand (Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri), Uttar Pradesh (Prayagraj, Kanpur, Varanasi), or Bihar (Sultanganj).
-They then journey on foot to offer this water at local temples or prominent shrines like Pura Mahadeva in Meerut, Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, Baba Baidyanath in Jharkhand, or Gola Gokarnath in UP.
-All in all, the kanwar yatra symbolises devotion and endurance.
-This festival showcases the rich cultural and spiritual traditions of India.
Sources:
Indian Express: From route to religious significance: All you need to know about Kanwar Yatra | Jun 29, 2022
-The Lallantop: Kyun Karte hain Kanwar Yatra | Jul 21, 2020