Those who believe in Sanatan Dharma believe that Shiva is not somewhere outside, he is present in every living being who pursues life with love, sacrifice and penance. This is why Sanatan tradition does not believe in any distance between the devotee and God. One who meditates on Shiva, himself becomes Shiva-like. In Sawan, when lakhs of Kanwariyas walk hundreds of kilometers barefoot, carrying Ganga water on their shoulders, they do not just go to offer water, they themselves become the living image of the penance which Shiva had embodied in the solitary meditation of Kailash.
In the eyes of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this feeling is the deepest, Kanwariya is not just a devotee, he is a walking embodiment of Shiva and now that the Kanwar Yatra is going to start soon, Uttar Pradesh is ready to welcome these ascetics and shower flowers on them.
All preparations were completed on time
Yogi government has completed all the preparations in time for uninterrupted Kanwar Yatra. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself is supervising it. This is such a sympathy towards faith in which the government is seen standing with the devotees. Repair of roads, smooth arrangement of electricity and water, deployment of medical camps, the idea behind all this is to ensure that no devotee gets blisters on his feet. When the government beautifies a road considering it as Shiva Path, it breaks down the wall between administration and faith.
The concern for security also arises from this sentiment. CCTV and drone surveillance on the route, additional police forces at sensitive places, special security cover for women devotees, deployment of divers and water police at the Ganga ghats, all these are extensions of the feeling in which the state finds itself as the servant of the devotees.
Pro. Dr. Kamlesh “Kauntey” (Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi)
Availability of anti-venom and anti-rabies injections
This thinking has organized the system related to medicine and sanitation. Availability of anti-venom and anti-rabies injections, provision of rest and drinking water in camps at various places, regular cleaning of toilets and lighting of the route, all these are aimed at ensuring that the devotees do not face any trouble. The decision to keep meat and liquor shops closed on the route, the requirement of displaying the name of the operator on the shops, all this is not just a matter of law and order, it is a question of respect for sanctity. Pure conduct and restraint are the first conditions of penance and if the Yogi government has taken steps in this direction, it can be said that it has become a partner in the resolve of the devotees.
This participation has bound the DJ’s sound to the prescribed standards. Joy in devotion is natural, but clear instructions have been given to ensure that it does not become an uproar. Keeping in mind the convenience of lakhs of devotees, alternative routes, diversion points, reserved parking and emergency corridors have been created under traffic management. Similarly, special teams to keep an eye on rumors and misinformation,
Warning to those who disturb communal harmony
The warning of strictness against those who disturb communal harmony shows that the government is alert to protect this vast stream of faith from any disturbance. Coordination with the administrations of Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand and regular communication with Kanwar unions ensure that this security circle is not limited to the boundaries of any one state.
Nine years of experience has taught Yogi Sarkar that service of faith is a process of continuous refinement. Every year new technology, new resources and new experiences are added to the system, be it drone surveillance or digital helpline, all these are efforts to connect traditional faith with modern administrative efficiency. But at the root of all this is the same feeling from which this article started, Kanwadiya is the embodiment of Shiva, and her service is the worship of Shiva.
Shiva is called Aughaddani. They look at the feelings of the devotee, not his status or wealth. Be it a king or a pauper, a forest dweller or an ordinary laborer in the city, everyone is equal to Shiva on the path of Kanwar. This feeling of equality is reflected in the administrative instructions in which the Chief Minister has clearly said that the level of system should be the same in every district of the state, whether it is a big city of Western Uttar Pradesh or a remote town of Purvanchal. When the government adapts itself to this equanimity, it imbibes the same basic spirit of Shiva-tattva in which there is no room for discrimination.
The way lessons have been learned from previous experiences in the preparations for Kanwar Yatra, it seems similar to the sadhana process of a yogi. The administration has gradually made the journey easier in a systematic manner in the last nine years. The process of continuous improvement is what makes any major public event successful, and this process is making the Kanwar Yatra more safe and well organized year after year.
The most emotional aspect of this entire preparation is that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has automatically assimilated it. When a Chief Minister himself directs officials that the safety and honor of every devotee is the top priority, he sends the message that the state’s sentiments stand with faith. This is the reason why preparations for Kanwar Yatra in Uttar Pradesh have now taken the form of a cultural commitment.
Symbol of shared resolve of state and society
Due to the efforts of Yogi government, Kanwar Yatra in Uttar Pradesh is now a symbol of the shared resolve of the state and the society. When lakhs of Kanwariyas will take to the streets of Uttar Pradesh with Ganga water on their shoulders, there will be a system active behind them that will take care of their safety, convenience and respect at every step, because the government knows that it is not serving any ordinary passenger, but that part of Shiva that resides within every Kanwariya.
This feeling is the biggest guarantee to make this journey hassle-free, and this feeling is making Uttar Pradesh more prepared for this responsibility every year and because of this feeling, people in every corner of Uttar Pradesh are waiting for the first day of Sawan. The hearts of the devotees are filled with faith and devotion. The excitement has already started rising that when will the time come that they will move towards Haridwar, Gomukh and Gangotri, carrying the Kanwad on their shoulders and chanting the slogan of Bam Bhole. (These are the personal views of the author.)
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