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Kanwarias from Maha travel 2,300 km to fetch Gangajal for ancient Shiva temple
As per the legend, the tradition began when a few artisans from Sangli district arrived at the bullion market in Meerut and gradually settled in the town with their families.
MEERUT In keeping with a two-decade-long tradition, a group of men from Maharashtra’s Sangli district undertake the arduous Kanwar Yatra every year to fetch the holy Gangajal from Haridwar for an ancient Lord Shiva temple in their district’s Sagreshwar village.
To preserve this pious tradition, these kanwarias ride motorbikes for over 2,300 kilometres. After collecting the Gangajal, they offer it to the Shiva Linga in their local temple, which has a deep historic significance, on the pious occasion of Shivratri.
As per the legend, the tradition began when a few artisans from Sangli district arrived at the bullion market in Meerut and gradually settled in the town with their families. These artisans have expertise in melting and purifying metals, especially gold and silver.
According to the Bullion Traders Association’s general secretary in Meerut, Vijay Anand Agarwal, that these Maratha artisans have become an integral part of the trade and market over time. He said that their next generation inherited their skill and continued serving the needs of the market.
One Vinod Panwar and other Marathas are part of this group that not only carries out the traditional work of their ancestors but also follows the kanwar tradition, which was started two decades ago. Speaking on the tradition, Vinod said that a few of their elders decided to bring kanwar from Hardwar and offer its holy Gangajal at the ancient Shiva temple of their native village Sagareshwar in Sangli district. “It was indeed a challenging task but they did it and also visited all the 12 Jyotirlingas,” said Panwar. He further said that it inspired the entire Maratha community in Meerut and they too decided to carry forward this tradition.
This time, a group of 30 Marathas will set out for Hardwar on July 8 to fetch the Gangajal. Vinod adds that all members will start their yatra from Hardwar on motorcycle and reach their village in Sangli on July 14. “We shall cover at least 400 kms daily to complete the entire journey of 2,300 kms to reach the destination a day before Shivratri,’’ said Pawar who shared that the majority of the members of the group are aged between 25 and 35 years. However, a few of them are also aged between 55 and 65 years.
The group will also visit Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Jyotirlinga in Omkareshwar, and another Jyotirlinga in Maharashtra during their Kanwar Yatra of 2,300 kms. Panwar said that the group members avail of the facilities provided in roadside camps till Delhi and beyond that they depend on roadside dhabas for food, lodging, and other requirements because there is no tradition of putting up camps beyond Delhi.
The members of the group return to their work in bullion market a week after the festival of Shivratri and dispatch their motorcycle through trains.
