Prayagraj: With the onset of the holy month of Shrawan, faith is drawing groups of young kanwariyas to the banks of the Ganga, where they begin their barefoot pilgrimage after collecting the sacred Gangajal to offer at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.Young devotees, including women, from Prayagraj as well as neighbouring districts such as Kaushambi, Banda, Chitrakoot and Pratapgarh have started arriving at the city’s ghats to fetch the holy water for jalabhishek of Lord Shiv. Carrying decorated kanwars on their shoulders, they have embarked on the long journey to Kashi, chanting devotional slogans along the way.“I wanted to reach the Baba Vishwanath temple on the first Somvar (Monday) of Shrawan, so I resolved to undertake this pilgrimage,” said Ashok from Kaushambi. “The crowds in Kashi will only grow with each passing day, so we want to offer jalabhishek to Lord Shiva on the first Monday itself.”Another Kanwariya, Atul, said, “It is my devotion that brought me to the Ganga ghat to collect the holy water and begin my journey to Kashi Vishwanath. We have not faced any difficulties so far. My fellow pilgrims and I plan to cover 40 to 50 kilometres each day on the Prayagraj-Varanasi highway so that we can reach Kashi by Sunday night.”With Shrawan beginning, groups of kanwariyas have started reaching the Sangam and other ghats to collect Gangajal before setting out on foot for Kashi and Jharkhand. Even as they undertake this year’s pilgrimage, many are already talking about returning for the yatra again next Shrawan. Amid chants of Shiv mantra and Shiv Tandav Stotram, the kanwariyas are marching bare foot, looking forward to offer ‘jalabhishek’ Lord Shiv.“It is not only during Magh Mela, Kumbh or Ardh Kumbh that devotees assemble in Sangam city from across the country. Shiv devotees come here every year from far flung districts and states to take holy water from Ganga,” said Dr. Amitabh Gour, noted religious scholar.Nitin along with his group of seven kanwariyas arrived at Dashashwamegha ghat on Friday to collect water from Sangam. “This is the first time when me and friends, decided to don the saffron attire of kanwariyas and take part in all rituals associated with the month of Shrawan,” he said.
