Ensuring Lord Shiva devotees, Kanwariyas, stay put at homes and get sacred Ganga jal, the Haridwar administration has decided to provide Ganga waters through tankers in the neighbouring states, officials said.
As this year too Kanwar pilgrimage has been banned in Uttarakhand, this step is being taken to ensure Kanwariyas don’t head to Uttarakhand for fetching Ganga jal as they will be provided with the holy water through tankers in their city, town or village.
Kanwar yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Shiva devotees, known as Kanwariyas, to Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch Ganga waters which they take back to their respective areas to anoint Shiva Lingams in temples.
District magistrate of Haridwar, C Ravi Shankar, has made a communique in this regard with respective district magistrates and deputy commissioners of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to send the information on demand and place of distribution in their respective administrative areas so that arrangements can be made for ferrying Ganga Jal to these places for Kanwariyas.
“Owing to the Covid epidemic, Kanwar fair has been banned this year. But taking into consideration the religious sentiments of Kanwariyas, arrangements will be made through tankers to ferry sacred Ganga water to the neighbouring states. As soon as we get the requirement and point of distribution, tankers will be sent so that Kanwariyas can then use it to anoint Shiv Lingums on Shivratri (August 6),” said DM C Ravi Shankar.
{{/usCountry}}“Owing to the Covid epidemic, Kanwar fair has been banned this year. But taking into consideration the religious sentiments of Kanwariyas, arrangements will be made through tankers to ferry sacred Ganga water to the neighbouring states. As soon as we get the requirement and point of distribution, tankers will be sent so that Kanwariyas can then use it to anoint Shiv Lingums on Shivratri (August 6),” said DM C Ravi Shankar.
{{/usCountry}}The DM also added that through the online portal epost service of the Indian Postal Department, devotees can also purchase Ganga Jal which will be sent through parcel service to them.
Meanwhile, the Youth Congress unit has also dispatched 6,000 litres of Ganga Jal to urban and rural areas of western Uttar Pradesh for Lord Shiva devotees.
“Kanwariyas can’t arrive this year too, so we thought to provide sacred Ganga water to Kanwariyas in neighbouring states. Last year also, the Youth Congress provided Ganga jal through water tankers in UP,” said Mahanagar president Akash Bhati, Youth Congress.
Ganga Sabha president Pradeep Jha said that next year the yatra will hopefully resume and Kanwariyas will be able to fetch Ganga jal themselves. “But till then, tanker service is a good alternative,” he said.
On July 13, the Uttarakhand government cancelled the Kanwar yatra amid the fear of third wave and Delta plus variant which has been already reported in the hill state. The decision was taken in the meeting chaired by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
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