ANJALI YADAV/Dehradun
What was once seen as a simple and peaceful religious journey has changed a lot over the years, with the Kanwad Yatra now becoming bigger, louder and more visible on the roads. Residents of Dehradun said that the change in the way the pilgrimage is carried out is clear, with more vehicles, loud music, traffic jams and incidents of rash driving being reported during the pilgrimage.
Doonites said that they have no problem with devotees coming to Uttarakhand for the annual pilgrimage but felt that the religious spirit of the Yatra should not be lost because of the actions of some participants. Youngster Amit Godiyal said that the change could be seen by those who had watched the Yatra over the years. “Earlier, the Kanwad Yatra was much more peaceful. Many devotees would walk barefoot, carrying their Kanwad and following the traditional way of the pilgrimage. Today, there are large groups of bikes, cars and other vehicles along with loud music. At times, it feels like a storm has entered the city,” he said.
Sunil Singh said that the Yatra had changed considerably in the last 10-15 years. “Earlier, many people would walk barefoot towards Neelkanth. The focus was more on the journey and devotion. Today, vehicles, DJs and loud music have become a big part of the Yatra. There is nothing wrong with using vehicles but people should not forget that they are part of a religious pilgrimage,” he said. He added that he had seen the Yatra change over the years. “The Kanwad Yatra used to feel much calmer. Devotees would walk for long distances and there was a sense of simplicity. Now, when the Yatra comes, there are large numbers of vehicles, loud music and heavy traffic. The whole atmosphere changes,” he said.
Kanwadiya Guddu Kashyap said that devotees should maintain discipline during the Yatra. “Those carrying Kanwad should behave like devotees and not hooligans. The Yatra is about faith. Driving at high speed, consuming intoxicants and creating a disturbance cannot be part of devotion,” he said.
Residents said that the problem was not with the Kanwad Yatra itself but with the inconvenience caused to people living and working along the routes. “People have to go to work, children have to study and elderly people need peace. We respect the faith of the devotees, but they should also respect the people living here,” said Deepak Kumar. He added that “The Yatra can be big without becoming chaotic. It should remain a journey of faith and devotion, not an excuse for creating trouble for others,” Kumar added.
