HINDU KANWAR PILGRIMAGE This pilgrimage is based on a belief that Rishi Parshuram had established shivalinga in Pura Mahadev and poured Ganga water on it. Pura Mahadev, which is located on the main Baghpat Meerut Highway, is 30 KM from Baghpat and around 36 KM from Meerut. Every Year, during the month of shravan, a fourteen days festival is organised here. Kanwarias from all around gather here in this temple to pay their tribute to Lord Shiva. Kanwarias walk twice a day. Early in the morning they start at 4 a.m. and walk until 11 a.m., and in the evening they start at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. In the interim, they take rest. Several Kanwars are made as huge expensive structures decorated on tractors or jeeps while some are on carts pulled by men. There are different types of Kanwarias apart from the regular ones walking the entire route like Dak Kanwarias (marathon runners), Khadi Kanwarias (in which Kanwar is to be kept on shoulders), Jhula Kanwaria (in which it can be kept on a stand while taking rest) and (Baikunth Kanwarias with least restrictions). Hindu worshippers take to roads of India clad in saffron robes as they carry holy water from the Ganges to their home temples. These amazing photographs capture the pilgrimage of the Hindu Kanwarias, devoted worshippers of Hindu God Shiva. The Kanwarias carry metal canisters filled with holy water from the Ganges River and take a ritual journey of the roads of India The Kanwarias dress in saffron colours on their pilgrimage and carry the ornately decorated canisters over their shoulders for hundreds of miles back to their home towns. They fetch the water as a gesture of thanksgiving to Shiva and walk for days, some braving Indian roads and highways barefoot. Kanwarias are named after the pole, kanwar, which they sling over their shoulders to carry their metal pots. Their annual pilgrimage is known as Kanvar Yatra or Kavad Yatra and sees them visit Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch holy waters of Ganges River, The pilgrimage always takes during the sacred month of Shravan and has grown in popularity in recent years. As the numbers have grown, security measures have had to be undertaken and the rows upon rows of pilgrims are known to stop highway traffic on national Indian roads.
Holy carriage: Worshippers of Hindu God Shiva fetch holy water from the Ganger River and carry it in a ritual pilgrimage
Long and winding road: The Indian Hindu Kanwarias take the water of the Ganges River back to Hindu temples in their hometowns
Holy walk: Hundreds of Kanwarias, devotees to Hindu god Shiva, traveled to Allahabad to the revered local Shiva temple as part of their pilgrimage
The Indian Hindu Kanwarias walk towards Padilla Mahadev temple wearing saffron coloured clothing and and carrying the ornately decorated canisters of the sacred water of the Ganges River over their shoulders
Prayer: A Kanwarias worshipper touches the wall of the temple and another writes holy Hindu scripts on leaves to bring on the journey and sacrifice to Shiva
Hundreds took part in the walk yesterday, most wearing orange coloured clothing as they performed the holy ritual pilgrimage for Kanwarias
Sacrifice: Metal canisters are kept on the ground outside the Padilla Mahadev temple, one revered among Shiva worshippers, in Allahabad, India before being offered to Shiva
Long walk home: The canisters of holy water is carried to each of the Kanwarias' home towns for their temples