The Kanwar Yatra 2026 begins today, 30 July 2026, with the start of the holy month of Shravan (Sawan). Millions of Kanwariyas will collect sacred Gangajal from pilgrimage centres such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri and Sultanganj and carry it to Shiva temples across North India. The yatra will culminate with the main Jalabhishek on Sawan Shivratri, 11 August 2026.
The Kanwar Yatra has deep historical and mythological significance. According to Hindu mythology, devotees offer Ganga water to Lord Shiva to cool his throat after he consumed the deadly Halahal poison during Samudra Manthan. Another legend associates the origin of the tradition with Ravana, who is believed to have carried Gangajal to the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deoghar. The tradition is mainly observed across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana and Delhi.
