With a Kanwar balanced on his shoulder and dressed in a saffron T-shirt and shorts, 19-year-old BCA student Bhagwant Upadhyay walks with purpose. He is one of a group of 50 Gen Z Kanwariyas currently making their way from Varanasi to a Lord Shiva temple in Jaunpur. Between the long stretches of their journey, these young minds fond time to contemplate their future goals and the strength of their faith.
Bhagwant is accompanied by Divyanshu Vishwakarma, an eighth-grade student; Lucky Upadhyay, a ninth-grade student; and Sunny Chauhan, a factory worker from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. All hailing from Jaunpur district and aged between 16 and 25, these young pilgrims are driven as much by their career ambitions as they are by their religious faith.
For Bhagwant, the pilgrimage is a time for both spiritual reflection and future planning. “I want to become a cybersecurity expert, which is why I am pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Applications,” he said. While he is aware of recent protests, such as those regarding NEET paper leaks, he prefers to remain focused on his personal goals. “I am aware of the recent political protests, but I don’t want to discuss that. I am focused on my goal. Yes, there should be qualitative improvement in the education system from top to bottom,” he asserted.
Bhagwant collected Gangajal in the urns hanging from his Kanwar after taking a holy dip in the Ganga. He plans to offer the water at a local Shiva temple near his home in Jaunpur upon his return.
{{/usCountry}}Bhagwant collected Gangajal in the urns hanging from his Kanwar after taking a holy dip in the Ganga. He plans to offer the water at a local Shiva temple near his home in Jaunpur upon his return.
{{/usCountry}}Sunny Chauhan, also in his early twenties, views the yatra as an opportunity to reflect on his own path and the state of education. Having completed his 12th grade, he was unable to pursue a BA due to personal circumstances. “Concrete efforts are required to regulate fees at private schools,” he said, also emphasising the need for improved standards in government schools from primary to senior secondary levels.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Lucky Upadhyay is already setting his sights on the medical field. He plans to begin NEET preparations as soon as he completes his 10th grade next year. As he speaks, his friends laugh, chant “Bol Bum” and “Har Har Mahadev,” and continue their steady pace. For Lucky, the journey represents a blend of devotion to Baba Kashi Vishwanath and a quiet hope for future success in his medical entrance exams.
The influx of pilgrims in Kashi has been significant since July 30, with lakhs of Kanwariyas visiting the city, leaving the streets of Varanasi echoing with chants of “Har Har Mahadev.”