The craze of bringing kanwad to Haridwar for fetching holy water amongst women is no less than men these days. Every year their number is increasing and the last year recorded 32 per cent women kanwadias coming to the holy city.
With kanwad on their shoulder and ‘Bam Bam Bhole’ on their lips, these women are rubbing shoulders with the men pilgrims taking holy Ganga water. Till date nearly 27 per cent of the total Kanwadias were women who have filled Ganga water from Haridwar and returned to their destinations.
A few years ago, women used to accompany men Kanwadias on their pilgrimage just as an assistant but now they are undertaking the pilgrimage independently. A Kanwad pilgrim, Hema Devi, from Haryana told The Pioneer that she has been bringing kanwad for the past two years. Her 15 year-old-son also carries kanwad along with her. last year she performed ‘dandaouti’ (stretching body on road and then rising) and this time she is walking barefoot with kanwad. She performs pilgrimage for her husband who is not keeping too well.
Another woman from Muzaffarnagar, Sharda Devi says that her husband used to bring kanwad but owing to his foot disease, she brought the kanwad. Her earlier wish was fulfilled when her children were undergoing serious health problem after birth. After undertaking Kanwad pilgrimage, her children are in good health.
Many like Sharda have been taking kanwads to get their wish fulfilled. An estimated number of 25 lakh women had come to the holy city last year. Uptill now 27 of the Kanwad were women who come to the Haridwar.
Meena Malhan, another woman kanwadia from Rajasthan, had first time brought kanwad to Haridwar three years ago. “I have been regularly bringing kanwad in the past three years. When one wish is fulfilled, we come to pay gratitude and undertake another wish fulfilling pilgrimage,” said Meena.
Amongst these are some bold women kanwadias as well who check the opium drinking men kanwadias. Many fufill their desires of taking drugs in the name of religion. These women check those who undertake pilgrimage under the effect of narcotics. They believe their purpose is to not only do devotional chanting during pilgrimage but also mind these ‘Shiva bhaktas’ from indulging in such practices.