Amid the grand religious procession of the Kanwar Yatra across Western Uttar Pradesh, a remarkably unique act of devotion has caught the attention of onlookers. A Shiva devotee hailing from Aligarh is carrying out an extraordinary journey on foot from Haridwar to his hometown while carrying his young daughter and niece balanced inside two separate Kanwar baskets. Along this challenging pilgrimage route, he is utilizing his journey to spread a powerful social awareness message advocating for the education, protection, and dignity of girls under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative.
A Unique Relay Technique for Carrying Dual Kanwars
The pilgrim has adopted a highly unusual relay approach to manage the trek from Haridwar down to Aligarh with two full Kanwar structures. On the first Kanwar, his niece sits in one basket while sacred Ganga water of equivalent weight balances her on the opposite side. On the second Kanwar, his daughter occupies one basket, balanced equally by Ganga water on the other side. Since carrying both weighted frames simultaneously over long distances is physically impossible, he executes a step-by-step relay pattern. He carries the Kanwar holding his niece forward for a short distance along the highway, places it down carefully, and then walks back to retrieve the second Kanwar holding his daughter. By repeating this continuous back-and-forth cycle, he moves steadily toward his destination. His wife plays a vital supportive role throughout the arduous trek, assisting with arrangements and ensuring the children remain comfortable.
Promoting Social Awareness and Religious Faith
Explaining the core motivation behind his journey, the devotee emphasized that his primary goal is to inspire people to recognize the value of women and respect female empowerment. He believes that standing up for religious values also means protecting and honoring daughters as equals in society. Despite the physical strain of walking hundreds of kilometers while carrying significant weight in turns, he reported feeling no exhaustion. He attributes his stamina and determination entirely to the divine blessings of Lord Shiva, which have enabled him to traverse the long route from Haridwar through Meerut toward Aligarh smoothly.
Past Tribute to Parents and Regional Administrative Measures
This is not the first time the Aligarh resident has undertaken a thematic pilgrimage. During the previous year's Kanwar Yatra, he carried his mother in a similar Kanwar basket from Haridwar to his home district. That journey was dedicated to highlighting the immense sacrifices made by parents, aiming to teach the younger generation the importance of respecting and caring for their elders. Meanwhile, as the volume of pilgrims passing through Meerut continues to rise rapidly, the local administration has instituted strict crowd control and traffic management guidelines. To ensure safety and facilitate uninterrupted movement for devotees, authorities in Meerut declared school closures from 3 August to 12 August while establishing extensive traffic diversions across major transit routes.
