Uttarakhand Govt Decides To Truck Brass Urns Of Gangajal To States, UTs Amid Covid-Suspension Of Annual Kanwar Yatra

Amid the suspension of the annual Kanwar Yatra and mela owing to Covid-19 pandemic, the Trivendra Singh Rawat-led Uttarakhand government has come up with a meaningful gesture to make the Gangajal reach the bhakts.

The suspension of the Yatra was announced last week.

To fulfil the needs of the devotees, who travel and walk up to the Ganga ghats in Haridwar to offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Ganga during the month of sravana (also known as savan), the state government has decided to transport the gangajal.

Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and spokesman for the state government Madan Kaushik has announced that brass urns carrying Gangajal will be trucked to the states and union territories.

The annual Yatra requires governments of other states to conduct a smooth flow of the journey towards Haridwar.

Governments of other states have earlier said that they would not be able to "help in the conduct of the Kanwar Yatra in the traditional way this year owing to the coronavirus situation".

Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana have agreed with the Uttarakhand government on the suspension of the Yatra. The state, as reports suggest, is expecting that some pilgrims will try to enter Haridwar to reach Har ki Pauri.

Haridwar district administration has said that the Yatra stands suspended and has specified that kanwariyas (pilgrims in the Kanwar Yatra) will have to undergo the compulsory paid quarantine for 14 days in case they still try to enter the district.