Kanwar Yatra begins, routes turn into vibrant hubs of devotion
Meerut and Bareilly came alive with spiritual fervour, colourful processions and robust administrative arrangements.
The Meerut administration prepared eight designated routes to accommodate the influx of pilgrims. 'All these routes are equipped with electrical connections, sanitation facilities and medical camps to ensure devotees face no obstacles,' said divisional commissioner (Meerut) Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod.
The 540-km Kanwar route in the Meerut range, spanning Meerut, Bulandshahr, Baghpat and Hapur, features 119 security barriers, 184 rest points and 838 temporary camps. Additionally, 184 magistrates are overseeing 24 zones and 68 sectors, monitoring road cleanliness, food quality, and camp operations. 'We've ensured food outlets display rate lists to prevent overcharging and provide hygienic meals,' Yashod added.
The UP Police, under DGP Rajiv Krishna, has deployed 587 gazetted officers, 2,040 inspectors, 13,520 sub-inspectors and over 39,965 constables, supported by 50 companies of the Central Police Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). 'Our priority is a peaceful pilgrimage while maintaining law and order,' said SP Kunwar Anupam Singh, emphasizing route inspections and coordination with local committees.
In Bareilly, a special Kanwar cell operates 24/7 to monitor activities and assist devotees. DIG Ajay Kumar Sahani detailed the deployment of 6,000 police personnel across eight super zones, 26 zones, 78 sectors and 218 sub-sectors. 'We've deployed 26 PAC platoons, one RAF company, and a flood relief PAC platoon to prevent drowning incidents,' Sahani said.
Special measures for women Kanwariyas include 'anti-Romeo squads' and women constables under Mission Shakti. 'We've ensured separate toilets and resting facilities for women,' Sahani noted, adding that DJ operators are instructed to avoid provocative music to prevent communal tensions.
The Yatra's festive spirit transformed Meerut and Bareilly into vibrant hubs. Kanwariyas, chanting 'Bum Bum Bhole', were seen marching in processions, adorned with flowers, bells and tridents, amid devotional songs. Temporary stalls offered 'prasad', saffron flags and Shiva idols, while volunteers distributed water and food.
'This Yatra is my heart's joy. Singing bhajans with fellow devotees feels divine,' said Sunita Devi, a Bareilly-based Kanwariya. However, some pilgrims noted challenges. 'The arrangements are good, but overcrowding can be tough. We trust the police to manage,' said Ramesh Kumar from Meerut.
Pawan Kumar, a pilgrim from Hapur, added: 'The roads are smoother and the food transparency is a big relief. It lets us focus on our devotion to Bhole.'
However, despite the festive zeal, unlawful activities surfaced. In Muzaffarnagar, Kanwariyas reportedly assaulted a youth and damaged his motorcycle over a minor altercation. 'Such acts disrupt the Yatra's sanctity and create fear,' said a police officer.
In Bareilly, past tensions from Sawan 2023, when Kanwariyas clashed with with some members of another community in Jogi Nawada, led to restricted procession permissions this year. 'We've intensified vigilance to prevent law and order issues,' said SSP (Bareilly) Anurag Arya.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
KV Dham ready to welcomedevotees on 3rd Shrawan Monday
Varanasi: Preparations for third Monday of Shrawan were finalised in Kashi amid pleasant weather conditions as saffron-clad started converging in large numbers on Sunday. Officials were busy enforcing traffic and crowd regulation arrangements, while Vishwanath Gali traders association began preparations to facilitate 'jalabhishek' ritual. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In view of directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who will be in the city on Monday, officials were enhancing facilities for pilgrims and Kanwariyas to ensure easy and safe visits during overcast conditions and in case of heavy rains on the third Monday. Special attention was paid to proper sanitation, the availability of drinking water, and necessary resources on the routes leading to Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Officials also kept a sharp vigil on Kanwariya camps. K ashi Vishwanath Temple authorities are ensuring opportunity for pilgrims to get a glimpse of Lord Vishwanath adorned in different forms every Monday of Shrawan. The temple's chief executive officer, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, said that on third Monday of Shrawan, the deity will be adorned in special form of 'Ardhanarishvara' during the evening Shringar Aarti. Meanwhile, police commissioner Mohit Agrawal and other senior officials were busy monitoring arrangements finalised for managing the crowd, especially on Mondays of the auspicious month. A no-vehicle zone was created between Maidagin and Godowlia as queues of devotees, especially Kanwariyas, began to form from Sunday evening to offer Jalabhishek on the third Monday at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Traffic restrictions and diversions were already implemented on main routes of Vishwanath Dham from Saturday night. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials mentioned that to avoid problems, especially for elderly and disabled visitors in reaching the temple from Godowlia and Maidagin points, temple administration will operate e-rickshaws up to Gate-4 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. All other arrangements, including a lost and found centre with multilingual staff, medical and ambulance services in case of emergencies, sheds and German hangers, have been in place since the beginning of Shrawan to protect from weather conditions, including rain, sun, and heat. For the convenience of devotees, live broadcasts of the sanctum sanctorum's worship are being shown on LED TVs at several locations. Agrawal said women police officers had been deployed on all Kanwar routes. Additionally, large number of women police constables have been stationed. Extra women police forces are deployed at all police stations, permanent and temporary police posts. Furthermore, women police are stationed at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and ghats. Police personnel have been trained in soft skills to ensure they interact with all devotees with respect and courtesy, and assist them in all necessary ways. Women police personnel have been trained on various aspects for safety, respect, empowerment and self-reliance of women and children. For crowd surveillance, eight drones and over 2,000 CCTV cameras are being utilised.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Lost in Kanwar noise, devotion to the divine
Let me share three snapshots from the biggest pilgrimage during the monsoon season in North India. Scene 1: Modinagar, Ghaziabad district: The Kanwar procession stood still with hundreds of devotees clapping and surrounding a woman and her physically challenged husband chanting 'Har Har Mahadev'. The reason? This villager, Asha Devi, was undertaking Kanwar pilgrimage carrying her husband on her back. She believed it would not only cure him of his disability but also fetch him a job. Scene 2: Lachhiwala in Dehradun: A large contingent of Kanwariyas is resting with boom speakers playing devotional songs inspired by Bollywood music. A large elephant emerges from the neighbouring Rajaji National Park and charges at them. Utter pandemonium ensues. After flipping a tractor trolley the elephant retreats into the jungle. Wildlife experts say high decibel sounds disturbs the sleep pattern of wild animals, making them irritable and aggressive. Scene 3: Mirzapur: A video of young Kanwariyas in which they are roughing up a soldier has gone viral. The man in uniform isn't giving in. Each time he falls, he gets up to take on his attackers. The video evokes memories of the disturbed areas in Kashmir and the North East. Tell me which one would you like to witness in your neighbourhood. I guess none! I have nothing against the Kanwar processions. I am a Hindu — by birth and in deeds. I have endured long queues leading to the temple in the freezing cold, pouring rains and oppressive heat. I have walked for miles carrying my young children in my arms so they can take a dip at Triveni (the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati). Even today I feel rejuvenated and complete after undertaking the Panch Kedar journey performing the rudrabhishek. I have no doubt that 99% of the people participating in such a pilgrimage are inspired by deep devotion to the divine. Unfortunately, miscreants and anti-social elements are able to muscle their way in such journeys of faith targeting passing vehicles and harassing the travellers, sparing not even women and children. They feel no remorse in attacking places of worship of other religions. Reel makers are a class of nuisance in themselves. They desecrate the pious and holy flavour of pilgrimage with flippant and debased behaviour. They aren't alone in abusing faith, traders and politicians alike treat it like a profitable venture. The state of Uttar Pradesh will go for village pradhan (headman) elections this year. The probables have gone out of the way to not only sponsor a large number of young men to undertake the Kanwar pilgrimage but also organised langars (community lunches) along the way. It has resulted in record crowds at Haridwar. The Uttarakhand government says this year 4.5 crore people gathered to procure Ganga water. Last year, the numbers were at 4.14 crore. It's okay to support the kanwariyas but creating inconvenience for others is where it gets tricky. Spare a thought about the ordeal of those living in almost curfew like situations. Going to school becomes a challenge. Businesses and government offices along the way come to a standstill for a fortnight. Even nights don't offer any respite. Loud music played by kanwariya boom boxes creates intense noise disturbing citizens, pets and wildlife alike. Residences along the Kanwar pilgrimage routes with elderly people in need of a good night's sleep bear the brunt of this loud and very public display of devotion. Newborns and toddlers are subjected to intense stress. The traffic jams caused by the large movement of people is a veritable nightmare for the hospital goers and those running to meet a deadline. Religion means peace and well being, not cacophony and chaos. During the past two weeks, I asked many people and found them to be favourably disposed towards the Kanwar pilgrimage. But they were uncomfortable with the growing new trends around this time of the year. The Supreme Court orders are clear that loud music should stop at 11 pm. But these processions seem above the law of the land. Anyone wanting to lodge a complaint is flummoxed whom to approach as senior police officers in uniform are seen attending and pampering the kanwariyas. Such politicisation of the bureaucracy is dangerous. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, who has gone the extra mile to make the Kanwar pilgrimage more comfortable and safe, is aware of the deterioration creeping in to the age-old tradition. It's no surprise that he warned miscreants hiding behind the kanwariyas, insisting that everyone's CCTV footage was available. He said those who are trying to malign the Kanwar yatra will be exposed and their posters pasted everywhere. We should remember that apart from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Kanwar yatras are organised in other parts of the country. But these places don't witness such hooliganism. Not only the Kanwar yatra, many religious processions are organised throughout the country on different occasions round the year. Millions attend them but rarely do we witness such chaos and mess. I am reminded of France where once I got a chance to witness a religious procession. I saw thousands of people moving quietly in single files. It set a beautiful example that religion and spiritual peace are complementary. There's no place for noise and nuisance. At that time I thought the oldest religion in the world should also reflect maximum discipline. But why is it lacking? Hinduism and thousands of years of our Hindustaniat (Indian identity) are testimony to the fact that we always deal with our weaknesses and emerge stronger and better. I have firm belief we'll pause, reflect, and recalibrate our approach for restoring the pristine glory of the pilgrimage for present and future generations. Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
11 hours ago
- First Post
Beyond the war: Cambodia's hidden Hindu heritage
Turf wars about monuments are not uncommon. But these usually happen when a monument collapses out of lack of upkeep and various departments and entities accuse each other of neglecting the monument. However, a corner of South-East Asia is witnessing the perhaps unprecedented scenario of two sovereign nations coming close to all-out war over control of some monuments and its surroundings. While the Preah Vihear Temple has long been contested between Cambodia and Thailand, the recent conflict has been centred around control and ownership of the Ta Muen Thom Temple. The temple complexes, which lie on the border between the two countries, are the victims of disputes arising from a colonial era border demarcation and a reluctance to accept this border in modern times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The temples at Preah Ko, part of the Roluos group Tension simmering for years has exploded now with shots fired and worse. Rocket-propelled grenades and even air forces have come into play. Amidst all this, if you are planning to visit Cambodia, there is plenty beyond the Angkor that can be explored. And none of it is controversial, never mind conflicts. Roluos (20 kms south-east of Angkor Wat): The place was once called Hariharalaya. At the end of the 8th century CE, Jayavarman II established the first Khmer capital here. His successors expanded the city and built the lofty shrine called Bakong as well as the smaller Preah Ko, which means 'sacred bull' – a reference to Nandi. Towards the end of the 9th century came Lolei, a temple whose name is said to be a mutation of Hariharalaya itself. It was built on an artificial island in the Indratataka Baray, a water body. The Temple Mountain of Bakong at Roulos. Source: Wikipedia Coming centuries before the globally celebrated Angkor Wat, these examples of early Khmer architecture are a joy to visit. And not just because they are away from the crowds that fill the Angkor and its immediate vicinity. Built mostly with bricks, the Lolei temples are the oldest examples of classical Khmer design. The Preah Ko comprises six shrines standing on a sandstone platform, in two uniform rows. The front row shrines are dedicated to Khmer rulers Prithivindreshvara, Jayavarman II and Rudreshvara, while the back row is in the memory of their respective wives. The carvings on the shrines are intricate and need careful examination. The sandstone shrine of Bakong was the first of the pyramid shaped temples of the Khmers. In some ways, it resembles Borobudur, the giant Buddhist shrine on the island of Java. As per an inscription found here, it was consecrated in 881 CE by the ruler Indravarman I as his state temple. This was a Shiva shrine named Indresvara, the name combining the ruler's identity with that of the God. With a moat as its boundary, the shrine is a vast complex with more than twenty satellite temples in its precincts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Banteay Srei (37 kms north of Angkor Wat): Its name literally meaning 'citadel of women' and figuratively referring to 'citadel of beauty', the Banteay Srei temple lives up to its name being an elegant and somewhat fragile looking temple complex with a water body in front. This is the only temple complex in Cambodia which did not have a ruler as its patron builder, but two courtiers of King Rajendravarman II. A temple inside the Banteay Srei complex Originally built in the latter half of the 10th century CE, the temples saw further expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries CE, with the last inscription found here dating to 1303 CE i.e. the early 14th century. Made of red sandstone, the temple's material was very amenable to rich carving. The result was a vast array of divine icons carved throughout its structure amidst floral patterns. Primarily a Shiva shrine, it also has Vishnu iconography within. The idyllic setting of the Banteay Srei complex Sadly, this extensive iconography meant that the temple complex drew looters and vandals in hordes. The most notorious incident was the theft of four icons by a Frenchman called Georges André Malraux. He was arrested and the idols recovered. That fact that he went on to become a respected author and 'intellectual' shows the state of justice. As has been the fate of many heritage sites in countries that were colonised, many icons and parts of the complex are in the Guimet Museum in Paris. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In its prime, the temple complex had a settlement called Ishvarapura around it. Nothing of this remains. The temple complex itself comprises three concentric rectangular enclosures. Within it lie various shrines, gopuras or gateways and structures popularly termed libraries. Kbal Spean (43 kms north of Angkor Wat): Sometimes called 'Valley of a Thousand Lingas', Kbal Spean is one of Cambodia's most visually striking sites. The place lies in the western part of the Kulein mountains. To reach, a visitor walks through a forest path, up a hill, for nearly two kilometres. And then arrives at a river whose bed is like no other! The Stung Kbal Spean River flows here, later merging into the Siem Reap River before its waters reach the Tonle Sap Lake. At Kbal Spean, leveraging sandstone rocks the river passes over, a stretch of about 200 metres of the riverbed has been extensively carved. The patron of this carving was a minister of the Khmer ruler in the 11th century CE, who created a thousand Shiva lingas on the riverbed. Close by are other carvings believed to have been done by hermits who dwelt here – carvings of Brahma, Vishnu atop his celestial serpent, Shiva-Parvati and others. Their intricacy is breath-taking. On one icon of Vishnu lying on Sheshnag, a lotus flower emerges from his navel and has a Brahma carving touching it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A reclining Vishnu icon at Kbal Spean The elaborate carving at Kbal Spean is no mere embellishment, but had a spiritual meaning attached. The Khmers believed that the water flowing into the Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor had been blessed by touching the sacred carvings at Kbal Spean. It is also mentioned that in 1059 CE King Udayadityavarman II consecrated a golden Shiva linga here. Given how much Cambodia has lost in terms of antiquities being looted, perhaps it is a blessing that the Kbal Spean carvings are on a riverbed, else they too could have ended up in a European museum. The list of Cambodia's less-known heritage nuggets can be a long one. The region has emerged from decades of horrific conflict and welcomed visitors. More and more stunning heritage seems to be emerging from the countryside. One hopes that both Cambodia and Thailand can resolve their differences and the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temple complexes can also be visited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
