Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
KANWAR YATRA: ANCIENT PILGRIMAGE CELEBRATING LORD SHIVA'S DEVOTION AND UNITY
The Business Guardian
|July 17, 2025
The Kanwar Yatra, rooted in ancient Hindu mythology, honors Lord Shiva during the sacred month of Shravan.
-
Over centuries, it evolved from a local pilgrimage into one of the largest annual pilgrimages, symbolizing devotion, penance, and cultural unity across northern India.
The Kanwar Yatra is one of the largest annual religious pilgrimages in India, attracting millions of devotees, known as Kanwariyas, who undertake a journey to fetch holy water from the sacred Ganges River and offer it to Lord Shiva at various temples, especially the iconic Kedarnath and Haridwar shrines. The yatra typically occurs during the Hindu month of Shravan (July-August) and holds immense religious and cultural significance. While deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and tradition, the Kanwar Yatra is also a fascinating example of communal faith, historical resilience, and vibrant cultural expression.
MYTHOLOGICAL ORIGINS OF THE KANWAR YATRA
At the heart of the Kanwar Yatra lies a strong mythological connection to Lord Shiva, one of Hinduism's principal deities, revered as the destroyer and transformer within the Trimurti (the holy trinity including Brahma and Vishnu).
THE LEGEND OF LORD SHIVA AND THE GANGES
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva resides in the Kailash Mountain and is worshipped fervently during the month of Shravan, believed to be his favorite. The Kanwar Yatra commemorates the devotion to Lord Shiva through the ritualistic offering of Gangajal (water from the sacred Ganges).
One popular myth explains that during the monsoon, Lord Shiva's devotees undertake the pilgrimage to obtain water from the Ganges to pour on Shiva's lingam (symbolic representation of Shiva) at their local shrines or at famous temples like Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi or Kedarnath in the Himalayas.
The water symbolizes purity and the sustenance of life, and offering it to Shiva is believed to purify sins, bring blessings, and grant devotees spiritual merit.
THE KANWAR: SYMBOL OF DEVOTION
This story is from the July 17, 2025 edition of The Business Guardian.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Business Guardian
The Business Guardian
ASIAN LEADS AFFORDABLE FOOTWEAR
Asian Footwears, one of India's fastest-growing homegrown footwear brands, has announced a renewed strategic roadmap to lead the country's transition toward accessible, value-driven, and sustainably designed footwear.
1 min
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
Tariffs batter India's exports to US; GTRI suggests rolling out
India's exports to its largest export market, the United States, have suffered a sharp reversal under the impact of aggressive tariff hikes. Between May and October 2025, shipments fell 28.5 per cent, plunging from USD 8.83 billion to USD 6.31 billion, according to trade-focused think-tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).
2 mins
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
FIN MIN ISSUES REVIEW OF MONTHLY ACCOUNTS
The Government of India's fiscal data for the current financial year up to October 2025 shows steady revenue collection and higher fund transfers to states, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Finance on Friday.
1 min
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
JIO CONTINUES STRONGEST GROWTH
Reliance Jio stayed at the front of India's telecom race in October 2025, adding more users than any other operator across major mobile and broadband categories, according to new data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
1 min
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
India's economy will register robust FDI flow despite tariffs
In August 2025, India faced a setback as net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the month fell 159% with more money leaving the country than entering.
3 mins
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
Deccan Gold Mines talking to Kabul to extract minerals
Deccan Gold Mines Ltd has entered into dialogues with potential partners in Kabul to tap into Afghanistan's mineral resources, including lithium, rare earth minerals, and gold, Managing Director Hanuma Prasad told ANI.
2 mins
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
COURT EXTENDS ANMOL BISHNOI'S NIA CUSTODY
A Delhi court on Saturday extended the NIA custody of deported gangster Anmol Bishnoi for seven more days.
1 min
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
Grime, grub and the great forgetting
Nainital was finally within reach. After months of Delhi's relentless clutter, I was quite desperate to step away-to unclog the lungs, unhook the mind, and remember what real air felt like.
4 mins
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
SC dismisses pre-arrest bail plea of Pinnelli brothers
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of Andhra-based former YSRCP (Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party) MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and his brother Venkatarami Reddy in the double-murder case of TDP (Telugu Desam Party) workers.
1 mins
November 30, 2025
The Business Guardian
VACCINES SAVE LIVES, PREVENT SUFFERING AND FINANCIAL LOSS
Smallpox in humans and Rinderpest in cattle and other livestock are viral diseases that have been completely eradicated by vaccines. Polio would have been eradicated if a few communities had not resisted vaccination due to misinformation.
5 mins
November 30, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size