A blend of nationalism and religious fervor is what is being found in the Kawars-the pitchers-the Kanwariyas are carrying slung around their necks with pieces of cloths while they are hitting the roads in their hordes in Haridwar two days ahead of the Mahashivaratri. like the previous years, they are streaming in to collect the holy water of Ganga.
This time, the number of the pilgrims is supposed to be much higher than the past few years. This is what is choking the roads, resulting in long traffic snarls on Haridwar- Nazibabad highway.
For the past many years, Sharad Kanwar, meaning the kanwar pilgrimage held in the month of February, did not beckon many.
But this time, the footfalls have surged up substantially and it is supposed that the number would further swell in the coming days till Thursday, the Mahashivaratri would be held. They are coming from all the neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh aside from the length and breadth of Uttarakhand. All the Ganga ghats are chock a block with the devotees of lord Shiva and the air of the holy city is reverberating with chants in praise of the lord.
However, the patriotic fevour is being found in abundance with the devotees sporting shirts hued saffron on one side and the other flaunting tri-colour, signifying the emotion the motherland evokes.
Not just the attire that speaks of the blend of nationalism and religious fervor. They are playing patriotic songs while on the pilgrimage, chanting praise of the lord they worship as well as the Mother India.
Speaking to The Pioneer, one of the pilgrims from Kashipur, Ram lal justified the combination, saying that the Indian culture embodying the eternal religion known as Sanatana Dharma is the mother of all religions. “Celebrating the soul of the ancient nation we are part of is fully in consonance with the devotion to lord Shiva who embodies the cosmic life we have been originated from,” he said.