Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has strongly opposed petitions challenging its directive for shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their names. In a detailed submission to the Supreme Court, the state government argued that the directive aims to ensure a peaceful and orderly pilgrimage.
The government explained that the directive was a response to complaints from Kanwariyas about confusion caused by the names of shops and eateries along the route. The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage where devotees of Lord Shiva fetch holy water from the Ganges River, sees millions of participants each year.
“The yatra is an arduous journey, with some Kanwariyas, such as the Dak Kanwariyas, not stopping to rest once the Kanwar is on their shoulders. There are sacred features of the pilgrimage, including that the Kanwar, once filled with holy Gangajal, must not be kept on the ground or under the shadow of the gular tree. A Kanwaria embarks on the Yatra after years of preparation,” the state government stated.
The Uttar Pradesh government introduced the directive in response to specific complaints from Kanwariyas, who had expressed concerns about the food being served along the route, questioning its preparation in line with religious practices.
The opposition has criticized the directive, labeling it as ‘anti-Muslim’ and accusing the government of creating societal divisions.
Devotees across the nation began their Kanwar Yatra on July 22, coinciding with the first Monday of ‘Sawan.’ Many thronged temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, such as the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, the Kali Paltan temple in Meerut, and the Jharkhandi Mahadev Temple in Gorakhpur, to offer prayers and take a holy dip in the Ganga to mark the occasion.
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