The annual Kanwar Yatra has begun in different parts of the country on 4 July 2023. The yatra will pass through several districts in Uttar Pradesh, and devotees will collect sacred water from the river Ganga.
Devotees chant slogans and sing bhajans and kirtans during the yatra. Some participants cover the yatra on foot, while others use personal vehicles or receive assistance from NGOs.
Uttarakhand is expecting a large number of Kanwariyas this year, and the state government has made special arrangements. Helicopter showers flowers on Kanwariyas upon reaching Haridwar. The administration has provided basic facilities and water sprinklers to beat the heat. The Mela area has been divided into superzones, zones, and sectors for security and monitoring with drone cameras. The Kanwar Yatra concludes with Jala Abhishek performed by the Kanwadis in temples.
The Uttar Pradesh government has made extensive arrangements and police are keeping strict vigil along the yatra route. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed the installation of CCTV cameras and deployment of divers, and marking of Kanwar camps in advance. In the previous year, a large number of devotees visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi during the holy month of Shravan.
Q.: What is the name of the bamboo pole with pitchers of Ganga Jal tied on both sides that the devotees carry during the Kanwar Yatra?
A) Kumbh
B) Kanwar
C) Kashi
D) Kavach
Ans : B) Kanwar
