Haridwar (Uttarakhand) July 7, 2020: Uttarakhand government on Tuesday completely sealed borders of Haridwar district to restrict the entry of devotees for ‘Kanwar Yatra’.
While both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand government has decided to ban Kanwar Yatra this year in lieu of Covid-19 outbreak, it has been reported that many individuals in small groups were still attempting to undertake it this year.
The ban by Uttarakhand government comes on the second day of holy month of ‘sawan’ after it was found on the first day that devotes are still trying to congregate at Ganga ghats of Haridwar.
Sharing details of the decision, district police told news agency ANI, “State government has put a ban on Kanwar Yatra this year, therefore no ‘Kanwariya’ will be allowed to enter. We are requesting devotees to return to their states.”
Meanwhile a multilayered security cordon has also been put on place near Har ki Pauri to desist any devotees from gathering there.
It may be noted that lakhs of devotees from different parts of India undertake this pilgrimage on foot, which is known as Kanwar yatra. Annually, it takes place in the month of Shravan- a month in the Hindu calendar. Wearing orange-coloured clothes with decorated pot on their shoulders, the pilgrims visit different prominent banks of India to take Ganga water and offer it at Shiva temples.
