Committed to ensure a safe & accessible Kanwad Yatra for Shiva devotees: CM
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Haridwar/Dehradun
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the Uttarakhand government is committed to ensure a safe, accessible and respectful environment for every devotee of Lord Shiva visiting the State for the Kanwad Yatra. He was addressing a programme at Hotel Alaknanda in Haridwar in which the Kanwadias were felicitated.
Flower petals were showered from a helicopter on the Shiva devotees in presence of the CM. As a mark of his respect for Lord Shiva, the CM washed the feet of five Kanwadiyas.
Dhami said that the Kanwad Yatra is not merely a religious event but a grand celebration of India’s eternal tradition, social harmony and spiritual consciousness. The State government is coordinating with all departments to ensure its successful organization, he said.
He said that the safety of devotees during the Kanwad Yatra is one of the top priorities of the State government. CCTV cameras, drone surveillance, ambulance services, health camps and emergency assistance have been installed along the travel routes. He appealed to devotees to maintain discipline, decorum and adhere to religious traditions during the journey.
The CM said in the last five years, he has had the opportunity to serve Shiva devotees during the Kanwad Yatra. “The name of Lord Shiva is the basis of faith, energy and belief for millions of devotees. Even in difficult circumstances, Shiva devotees travel hundreds of kilometres and express their devotion. The Kanwad Yatra also symbolizes discipline, service, dedication and social unity,’’ he said.
Dhami said more than one crore Shiva devotees have successfully departed for their destinations carrying Ganga water so far during the Kanwad Yatra this year.
He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extensive work is underway to preserve and develop the country’s cultural heritage and spiritual sites. Projects such as Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakal Lok, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, the reconstruction of Kedarnath Dham and the Badrinath Master Plan are giving Indian culture a new identity on the global stage.
While praising the efforts of the police, administration, health department, sanitation workers, voluntary organizations and other workers deployed in Kanwad Yatra, the CM said that it is the collective cooperation of everyone that makes this huge event successful.
