Kanwar Mela 2020 cancelled; Uttarakhand govt to send holy Ganga water to Shiva devotees in brass urns
Large brass urns carrying the holy Ganga water will be despatched in trucks to state Chief Ministers, Lt Governors, and ministers of the states and UTS for further distribution among Shiva devotees.
Kanwar Yatra | File image | Photo Credit: IANS
Dehradun: After it was earlier announced that the annual Kanwar Yatra will not be held this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Uttarakhand Police on Thursday issued a notice to suspend Kanwar Mela 2020. The state police have now asked devotees not to come to the holy town of Haridwar as the district's borders have been sealed.
It was also reported today that the Uttarakhand government will start despatching the holy Ganga water, taken from Har ki Pauri in Haridwar, in brass urns to states and union territories. The holy water will be sent for Shiva devotees in view of the cancellation of the annual Kanwar Yatra.
Several Chief Ministers have already said that their respective governments would not be able to help in the conduct of the Kanwar Yatra in the traditional way this year owing to the coronavirus situation.
As a result, to cater to the religious needs of the devotees, the Uttarakhand government has decided to send brass urns filled with the holy Ganga water from Haridwar to all these states and UTs. This was informed by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and state government's spokesman Madan Kaushik.
The official said that large brass urns carrying the holy Ganga water will be despatched in trucks to state Chief Ministers, Lt Governors, and ministers of the states and UTS for further distribution among Shiva devotees.
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"CMs of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have agreed that traditional Kanwar Yatra is not possible this year. So we have decided to send Ganga water from Haridwar in large brass urns to these states in trucks for distribution among people through their respective governments," Kaushik said.
Further, the holy Ganga water would also be made available for devotees at prominent temples closest to the place.