Kanwar Yatra 2025: Why did Hindu seers ask Uttarakhand CM to ban Muslim-made kanwars? Juna Akhada's Yatindrananda Giri says...

A controversy over Kanwar erupted before the Kanwar Yatra 2025 began. The unexpected row began when Juna Akhada Mahamandaleshwar Swami Yatindrananda Giri and Swami Yashveer Maharaj wrote a joint letter to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asking him to ban the use of kanwars, made by the Muslims. They also urged the Shiva devotees not to use such kanwars. This is significant because more than 90% of the kanwars in the state are made by the Muslim artisans. These Muslim artisans have honed their skills through generations and made a niche of their own and have emerged as the main manufacturers of kanwars. 

Muslim kanwar artisans are disappointed

It is important to note that about 100-150 Muslim families living in the Jwalapur area of Haridwar have been making kanwars for more than 50 years. They are deeply disappointed by the steps taken by the Hindu seers. A frustrated Naeem told NDTV India that he invested Rs 2,00,000 in the business of kanwar making and suffered losses. Now, certain people have demanded a ban on the kawars made by Muslims. It is clear that he would suffer losses this year too. Further, he also asks what the point is in making kanwars if no one buys them.

Kanwar business in crisis 

The cost of a kanwar ranges from Rs 300 to Rs 10,000. Sometimes custom-made kanwars are also ordered and the artisans prepare those kanwars keeping in mind the specific needs of each and every kanwar yatri. These are designed to suit the needs as well as the pockets of the shiva devotees, besides their imagination. Some fancy kanwars are also made. The business of kanwar making is already under stress due to various other factors like increasing cost of raw materials, labour costs and state taxes. The appeal to boycott or ban the Muslim-made kanwars would ruin the business forever and the artisans would be rendered jobless.