- LATEST
- WEBSTORY
- TRENDING
INDIA
What is Kanwar Yatra, how did it begin? Lord Shiva gulped poison, then THIS happened...
During the Kanwar Yatra, the Shiva devotees take water from the holy Ganges River in Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in the state of Uttarakhand. They take water from Indore, Dewas and Shujalpur in Madhya Pradesh and Sultangunj and Pahleja Ghat in Bihar.
Updated : Jul 17, 2025, 07:01 PM IST
 "Shiva devotees in Kanwar Yatra")
TRENDING NOW
)
OTT Releases This Week: Special Ops 2, Kuberaa, Vir Das Fool Volume; latest films, web series to binge-watch on Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar
)
Mukesh Ambani's company's profit rises to Rs 325 crore days after acquiring entire stake of India's largest govt bank in...
)
Donald Trump makes BIG claim, says US is working on deal with China's Xi Jinping to impose death penalty for...
)
Big tension for Pakistan, China, as India tests THIS new hypersonic missile, which is 8X faster than speed of sound, can strike enemy at a range of...
)
Uttar Pradesh flood alert: Ganga water level rises in Varanasi, Prayagraj and other districts of UP after heavy rainfall
)
This college records Rs 10000000 placement package for 2025 batch, not IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad, it is...
)
India's BIG statement on US President Donald Trump, NATO's sanction threat on Russian imports, says, 'Not worried at all...'
)
10 most handsome men in the World: This BTS member beats Hrithik Roshan, Chris Evans, Brad Pitt
)
Ashish Chanchlani drops new post with Elli AvRam, reveals 'Finally, we have...'
)
Who was Chandan Mishra? Bihar gangster who was shot dead by 5 gunmen in Patna hospital
)
Meet woman who failed four times in UPSC exam and finally cracked it with AIR..., is now CEO of...
)
Pepe Coin Price Prediction: Can PEPE Explode to $0.0001 and Overtake Dogecoin, Shiba Inu? Not Before This ETH Meme Coin Beats Them All
)
US embassy's BIG warning to visa holders, says, 'Will revoke their visas if they don't...'
)
Saiyaara box office prediction day 1: Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda film set to become biggest opening movie with debutants, likely to earn over Rs...
)
Huge blow for Team India as star pacer suffers freak hand injury ahead of 4th Test against England
As the month of Sawan begins with the monsoon rains pouring water across the country, hundreds of thousands of Shiv devotees take to the streets with kanwars on their shoulders. They collect water from the holy river of Ganges, pour it in two pitchers hung from two poles of a kanwar and traverse long distances, sometimes as long as a hundred kilometres, to pour it on the Shivalingas of their choice. It is believed that god Shiva is pleased and blesses his devotees if they pour water on the Shivalingas. The Shiv devotees take this arduous travel observing purity, chastity and simple life while they are on the yatra.
Kanwar Yatra: From Sultangunj to Deoghar
One can take water from any holy river of their choice and pour it on the Shivalinga of their choice, generally in their locality. The Shiva devotees take water from the holy Ganges River in Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in the state of Uttarakhand. They take water from Indore, Dewas and Shujalpur in Madhya Pradesh and Sultangunj and Pahleja Ghat in Bihar. The most important and pious place for the Shiva devotees in Jharkhand is Baidyanath Dham or Baba Dham in Deoghar. The devotees or the 'kanwarias' as they are called, take water from Bihar's Sultanjgunj, cover a distance of 108km and pour water on the Shivalinga in Baidyanath Dham. Some Shiva devotees take a vow to complete the journey in 24 hours; they are called 'Daak Bam'.
Why Kanwar Yatra?
According to Hindu mythology, when poison was received after the churning of the seas, it was Lord Shiva who gulped it to ensure the safety of mankind. However, it was so poisonous and dangerous that Shiva too felt its impact. It was the Hindu seer Parashuram who took water from the holy Ganges River and poured the water on Shiva so that the impact of the poison would be neutralized. Lord Shiva was happy at this dedication and devotion. Shiva devotees repeat this feat every year in Sawan to appease the lord.
The Kanwar Yatra became more popular during the 1980s, and now millions of devotees join it. It was estimated that more than three crore Shiva devotees took out the Kanwar Yatra from Haridwar alone in 2024. Millions of Shiva devotees take the Kanwar Yatra to Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand.
