UP government defends Kanwar Yatra order, tells Supreme Court it was intended to...
PTC News Desk: The Uttar Pradesh government is adamantly against petitions that contest its order compelling store owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their names.
The state government said in a thorough filing to the Supreme Court that the decision was given in order to guarantee a quiet and well-organized pilgrimage. The state administration went on to say that the directive was issued in response to complaints from Kanwariyas who said the names of the stores and restaurants were confusing.
Some Kanwariyas, or the Dak Kanwariyas, undertake the difficult yatra without even pausing to rest once they have the Kanwar on their shoulders. The pilgrimage has certain hallowed elements, such the prohibition of keeping the Kanwar, which was formerly filled with holy Gangajal, on the ground or beneath a regular tree's shade. A Kanwaria begins the Yatra after years of preparation, it should be mentioned," the ministry stated in their statement.
Every year, millions of people take part in the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage where followers of Lord Shiva, also called Kanwariyas, go to collect holy water from the Ganges river.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, specific complaints from Kanwariyas prompted the introduction of the regulation. There had reportedly been complaints from pilgrims about the food being served along the way, which gave rise to worries about whether it had been prepared according to religious tenets.
The government has come under fire from the opposition, which labels the decree as "anti-Muslim" and seeks to sow discord in the community. On July 22, on the first Monday of "Sawan," devotees all around the country started their Kanwar Yatra.
On the first Monday of "Sawan," a large number of devotees flocked to temples devoted to Lord Shiva to offer their prayers and to take a sacred dip in the Ganga. Pilgrims swarm to temples to offer prayers, such as the Jharkhandi Mahadev Temple in Gorakhpur, the Kali Paltan Temple in Meerut, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, and the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain..
- With inputs from agencies
