Kanwar Yatra: Around 3.30 cr pilgrims reach Haridwar

About 3.30 crore pilgrims have reached Haridwar as part of the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, said an official. Flower petals were showered on the 'Kanwariyas' from the helicopter at a couple of locations in the district on Sunday.

"Three crore and thirty lakh pilgrims have come to Haridwar. The number is expected to reach 3.50 crore by tomorrow," said Janmajay Khanduri, SSP Haridwar.

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's devotees, which had started this year on July 23.

Uttarakhand Police also stated that special arrangements have been made for the comfortable commute of pilgrims and necessary assistance is being provided as per need.

Every year, around this time of the year, scores of these devotees from across India, often wearing orange-coloured clothes with decorated pots on their shoulders, undertake the pilgrimage, called Kanwar Yatra, on foot during Saavan- a month in the Hindu calendar.

These pilgrims, majority of who are young men, visit Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch waters of River Ganga.Later, the holy water is dispensed as offerings to Lord Shiva in temples. The Uttarakhand government had already announced that all schools and colleges in Haridwar would remain closed from July 23 to July 30.

( With inputs from ANI )