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News18
20-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
CM Yogi Welcomes Kanwariyas With Flower Showers In Meerut
Last Updated: The Kanwar Yatra is an annual Hindu pilgrimage in which devotees of Lord Shiva travel—mostly on foot—to collect holy water from the Ganga River and offer it at Shiva temples. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday showered flower petals on Kanwar yatris in Meerut and other districts of the state in a heartfelt gesture. He also addressed a press conference in Meerut, where he warned the miscreants attempting to defame the Kanwar Yatra. 'I extend heartfelt greetings to all devotees in this auspicious month of Sawan. Lakhs of Shiva bhakts from across the country are collecting the holy waters of the Ganga from Haridwar to perform Jalabhishek at revered temples like Baba Aughadnath, Pura Mahadev, and Dudheshwarnath," he said. The UP CM further added, 'It is heartening to see enthusiastic participation from people of all age groups, youth, women, children, and the elderly—creating a beautiful expression of social harmony." He highlighted the arrangements made for the occasion, also underscoring that some anti-social elements are conspiring to malign it. 'It is the responsibility of every Kanwar Sangh and every Shiv bhakt to expose such elements and immediately inform the authorities. The entire Yatra route is under CCTV surveillance, and once the Yatra concludes, strict action will be taken against those identified. Their posters will also be displayed publicly," he stated. CM Yogi asked the devotees to maintain basic hygiene during the pilgrimage. He noted that 'Shiv bhakts should walk with a spirit of public welfare and remain mindful of not causing inconvenience to others." The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also launched a scathing attack at the previous governments, saying they did not support or respect 'such sacred pilgrimages." Calling for cooperation in preserving the sanctity of the Yatra, he concluded, 'If anyone receives information about any mischief-makers, they should inform the administration instead of taking the law into their own hands. This Yatra is a symbol of devotion and harmony. Lord Shiva is the god of universal welfare, and his blessings are for all. It is our shared responsibility to keep this divine journey free from violence and disorder." view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 14:41 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Hans India
01-07-2025
- Hans India
Tight security arrangements in place for Kanwar Yatra
Meerut: Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place across the Meerut Range of Uttar Pradesh—including the districts of Meerut, Bulandshahr, Baghpat and Hapur—for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, to ensure a peaceful and safe pilgrimage during the holy month of Shravan, officials said here on Monday. A total of 119 security barriers will be installed along the 540-kilometre-long Kanwar route in the region. This includes 25 each in Meerut and Bulandshahr, 51 in Baghpat and 18 in Hapur. The route has been divided into 57 zones and 155 sectors for better monitoring and management, they said. To aid 'kanwariyas' (pilgrims), 184 rest points and 838 temporary camps are being set up—464 in Meerut, 176 in Bulandshahr, 90 in Baghpat and 108 in Hapur, they added. Special vigilance will be maintained in 184 mixed-population areas that fall along the pilgrimage route. Given the expected footfall at major temples such as Pura Mahadev (Baghpat), Augharnath temple (Meerut), Brijghat (Hapur), Ambakeshwar Mahadev (Bulandshahr) and Sabli temple (Hapur), dedicated arrangements have been made to manage crowd flow and ensure safety, officials said. Authorities have also planned alternate routes for heavy and light vehicles to regulate traffic during the yatra period. With contingencies in mind, disaster response teams from the SDRF and NDRF, along with local divers, have been kept on alert. Control rooms at the range and district levels have been set up for real-time monitoring using CCTV cameras and drones. Meerut Range DIG Kalanidhi Naithani said that a social media monitoring cell has been activated to track and respond swiftly to any misleading or inflammatory posts. He also directed the deployment of women police personnel for the safety of female pilgrims and instructed the establishment of Lost and Found centres at key locations. The Kanwar Yatra is set to begin on July 11, marking the start of the Shravan month. During the yatra, devotees collect holy water from the Ganga at sites such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri and Sultanganj, and offer it at local Shiva temples through the ritual of 'Jalabhishek'—a tradition rooted in Hindu mythology, including references to the 'Samudra Manthan'.