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[[File:Har-ki-Pauri during Kavad Mela, Haridwar.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Har ki Pauri]], thronged by ''Kanwarias'', during the Kavad Mela, Haridwar.]]
{{Saivism}}
The '''Kānvar ('''or '''Kānwar/ Kavad) Yātrā''' ([[Devanagari]]: कांवड़ यात्रा) is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva, known as ''Kānvarias''(कावड़िया) or "Bhole" (भोले), to Hindu pilgrimage places of [[Haridwar]], [[Gaumukh]] and [[Gangotri]] in [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Sultanganj]] in Bihar to fetch holy waters of [[Ganges River]]. Millions of participants gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry it across hundreds of miles to dispense as offerings in their local Śiva shrines, or specific temples such as Pura Mahadeva and Augharnath temple in Meerut, and Kashi Vishwanath, Baidyanath, and Deoghar in Jharkhand.

At its base, Kanwar refers to a genre of religious performances where participants ritually carry water from a holy source in containers suspended on either side of a pole. The pilgrimage derives its name from the contraption, called kanwar, and while the source of the water is often the Ganga, it can also be its local equivalents. The
offering is dedicated to [[Shiva]], often addressed as Bhola (innocent) or Bhole Baba (innocent guardian/god). The pilgrim, accordingly, is a bhola, and in the vocative, bhole! Although there is little mention of the Kanwar as an organized festival in canonical texts, the phenomenon surely existed in the early nineteenth century when English travelers report seeing Kanwar pilgrims at many points during their journeys in the north Indian plains.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.in/Uprising-Fools-Pilgrimage-Protest-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B06XGP8DNW?_encoding=UTF8&deviceType=desktop&keywords=uprising%20of%20the%20fools&qid=1490716771&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1|title=Uprising of the fools : pilgrimage as moral protest in contemporary India|last=Singh|first=Vikash|publisher=Stanford University Press|year=2017|isbn=978-1503601673|location=Stanford, CA|oclc=953363490}}</ref>

The Yatra used to be a small affair undertaken by a few saints and older devotees until the late 1980s, when it started gaining popularity.<ref name="hi" /> Today, the Kanwar pilgrimage to Haridwar in particular has grown to be India's largest annual religious gathering, with an estimated 12 million participants in the 2010 and 2011 events. The devotees come from the surrounding states of [[Delhi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Haryana]], [[Rajasthan]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Bihar]] and some from [[Jharkhand]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Odisha]] and [[Madhya Pradesh]]. Heavy security measures are undertaken by the government and the traffic on Delhi-Haridwar [[National Highway (India)|national highway]] ([[National Highway 58 (India)|National Highway 58]]) is diverted for the period.<ref name="ib" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200707261560.htm|title=Security stepped up at Delhi-Haridwar rail, road routes|date=26 July 2007|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Kanwar Yatra is named after the ''kānvar'' (कांवड़), a single pole (usually made of bamboo) with two roughly equal loads fastened or dangling from opposite ends. The ''kānvar'' is carried by balancing the middle of the pole on one or both shoulders.<ref name="pustak2010">{{Citation | title=Largest Hindi to Hindi Dictionary — Current Hindi Word: कांवड़ | access-date = 2010-08-06 |url=http://pustak.org/bs/home.php?mean=47142 | quote=Snippet: ''... काँवर, स्त्री० [सं० काँवाँरथी से] एक विशेष प्रकार की बहँगी जिसमें बाँस के टुकड़े के दोनों सिरों पर पिटारियाँ बँधी रहती हैं ... kānvar, fem. [from Sanskrit kānvānrathi] a special type of scales-like structure in which containers are fastened to opposite ends of a bamboo staff ...''}}</ref> The [[Hindi]] word ''kānvar'' is derived from the [[Sanskrit]] ''kānvānrathi'' (काँवाँरथी).<ref name="pustak2010"/> ''Kānvar''-carrying pilgrims, called ''Kānvariās'', carry covered water-pots in ''kānvars'' slung across their shoulders. This practice of carrying ''Kavad'' as a part of religious pilgrimage, especially by devotees of Lord Shiva, is widely followed throughout India (see [[Kavadi]]). [[Yatra]] means a journey or procession.<ref name="ib">{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/security-beefed-up-for-kanwar-yatra/192247.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012164150/http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/security-beefed-up-for-kanwar-yatra/192247.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-12|title=Security beefed up for Kanwar yatra|publisher=CNN-IBN}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Bhole.jpg|259px|thumb|Bhole carrying kawar]]
Kanwar yatra is related to the [[Samudra manthan|churning of the ocean of milk]] in the Hindu [[Puranas]]. When the poison came out before [[Amrita]] and the world started burning from its heat then lord Shiva accepted to inhale poison. But, after inhaling it he started suffering from negative energy of poison. In [[Treta Yuga]] Shiva's devout follower [[Ravana]] did meditation. He brought holy water of Ganga by using kanwar and poured it on Shiva's temple in Puramahadev. Thus releasing Shiva from the negative energy of the poison.<ref>History of Kanwar Yatra: https://www.bhaktibharat.com/festival/kanwar-yatra</ref>

=== Contemporary events ===
In 2018, there were multiple incidents of violence and vandalism associated with Kanwar Yatra in [[National Capital Region (India)|National Capital Region]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dey|first=Abhishek|title=Violence during Kanwar Yatra: Police in Delhi, UP need new ideas to tackle an old problem|url=https://scroll.in/article/889863/violence-during-kanwar-yatra-the-police-need-new-ideas-to-tackle-an-old-problem|access-date=2021-07-15|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of India]] made harsh remarks on such incidents.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-08-10|title=‘This must stop’, says SC on Kanwariya violence, vandalism by protesters|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/won-t-wait-for-law-sc-takes-strong-line-on-vandalism-during-protests/story-1BMTFFQXHnv5SYlozKhxEL.html|access-date=2021-07-15|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> In the year 2020, Kanwar Yatra was cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=No Kanwar Yatra Due To COVID-19, Ganga Water To Be Sent To States|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sawan-2020-kanwar-yatra-cancelled-this-year-due-to-covid-19-ganga-water-from-haridwar-to-be-sent-to-states-2256094|access-date=2021-07-15|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> In 2021, [[Uttarakhand]] decided to suspend the yatra in 2021 in the light of disastrous second wave of [[COVID-19]] in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-14|title=Kanwar yatra: Uttarakhand finally calls it off, UP says on with curbs|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttarakhand-government-cancels-kanwar-yatra-amid-covid-pandemic-7403083/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> However, [[Uttar Pradesh]] decided to move ahead with the yatra and [[Supreme Court of India]] took a suo moto case on the matter.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-15|title=Uttar Pradesh call to allow Kanwar Yatra disturbing, respond by tomorrow, says Supreme Court|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-on-uttar-pradesh-kanwar-yatra-7403858/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==Bol Bam==
[[File:Basukinath Dhaam, Jharkhand 27072010011.jpg|thumb|Bol Bam]]
'''Bol-Bam''' refers to [[pilgrimage]]s and [[festival]]s in [[India]] and [[Nepal]] glorifying [[Shiva]] (aka Bam or Bum).

The festivals run during the monsoon month Shraawan (July — August). After taking water from the [[Ganges]] river (or other nearby river that wind up in the Ganges) the pilgrims, known as kanwariya or Shiv Bhaktas (disciples of Shiva), are mandated to travel barefooted and in saffron robes with their Kanwar (walking sticks used to hang the urns of water) for 105 km by various routes and usually in groups made of family, friends and or neighbors, and return to their own local or other more prestigious and larger Shiva Temples to pour Gangajal on Lord Shiva (Shiv Linga). On the march pilgrims continuously sprinkle any and all talk with "Bol Bam" (speak the name of Bam) and sing [[Bhajan]]s (hymns) to praise his name.

==The Yatra==

[[File:Augarnath Temple at 2nd Navratri Night.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Augarnath Temple, one of the principal shrines of offerings]]
The month of [[Shraavana]] is dedicated to Lord Shiva and most devotees observe a fast on Mondays during the month, as it also falls during the [[chaturmas]] period, traditionally set aside for religious pilgrimages, bathing in holy rivers and penance. During the annual [[Monsoon]] season thousands of saffron-clad pilgrims carrying water from the Ganges in Haridwar, Gangotri or Gaumukh, the glacier from where the Ganges originates and other holy places on the Ganges, like Sultanganj, the only place where the river turns north during its course, and return to their hometowns, where they later perform [[abhisheka]] ([[anoint]]ing) the [[Shivalinga]]s at the local Shiva temples, as a gesture of thanksgiving.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020723/region.htm|title=LUDHIANA: KANWAD YATRA|date=23 July 2002|work=The Tribune}}</ref>

[[File:Kanwarias in Haridwar.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Kanwarias in Haridwar, 2007]]
While most pilgrims are men, a few women also participate in Yatra. Most travel the distance on foot, a few also travel on bicycles, motor cycles, scooters, mini trucks or jeeps. Numerous Hindu organizations and other voluntary organizations like local Kanwar Sanghs, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] and the [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad]] setup camps along the National Highways during the Yatra, where food, shelter, medical-aid and stand to hang the ''Kanvads'', holding the Ganges water is provided.<ref name=hi>{{cite news|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/07/14/stories/2004071409790300.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125133109/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/07/14/stories/2004071409790300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2013|title=Kanwarias flock highways|date=14 July 2004|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

Smaller pilgrimages are also undertaken to places like [[Allahabad]] and [[Varanasi]]. ''Shravani Mela'' is a major festival at [[Deoghar]] in [[Jharkhand]], where thousands of saffron-clad pilgrims bringing holy water, from the Ganges at [[Sultanganj]], covering a distance of 105 kilometres on foot and offer it to lord baidyanath (Shiva). Here till about 1960, the yatra was confined to a few saints, old devotees, and rich Marwaris of neighbouring cities, and the phenomenon has seen considerable rise in the recent years.<ref>[[#Ch|Choudhary, p. 29]]</ref>

Once the pilgrims reach their hometown, the Ganges water is used to bathe the Shivalingam on the thirteenth day (Triyodashi) in Shravan month or on the ''Maha Shivratri'' day.

==See also==
* [[Yatra#Famous_yatras|Famous Hindu yatras]]
* [[Hindu pilgrimage sites in India]]
* [[List of Hindu festivals]]
* [[Padayatra]]
* [[Ratha Yatra]]
* [[Tirtha (Hinduism)|Tirtha]]
* [[Tirtha and Kshetra]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Choudhary|first=Paras Kumar |title=Sociology of pilgrims|year=2004|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|isbn=978-81-7835-243-5|ref=Ch}}

{{Shaivism}}

[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:Shaivism]]
[[Category:Haridwar]]
[[Category:Culture of Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Culture of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Culture of Bihar]]
[[Category:Religious festivals in India]]

Kanwar Yatra - Revision history

imported>AnomieBOT at 13:43, 21 August 2021