The holy month of Sawan is currently underway, marking the traditional season of the Kanwar Yatra. During this arduous religious journey, devotees fill containers with holy water from the Ganges River, carry them on their shoulders, and travel to pour the sacred water over the Shiva lingam. According to spiritual beliefs, those who complete this devotion successfully have their prayers fulfilled, achieve progress in life, and bring prosperity and happiness to their homes.
Throughout Sawan, worshippers from across the country and abroad arrive at the renowned Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar to complete the Kanwar Yatra. This pilgrimage is not uniform and takes several different forms, one of which is known as the Dak Yatra. This specific journey follows multiple strict regulations, which have been detailed by a prominent pilgrimage priest from the Baidyanath temple.
Insights from the Baidyanath Temple Priest
Pramod Shringari, a well-known pilgrimage priest at the Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, explained that the tradition of the Kanwar Yatra takes various forms during Sawan. The most common form is the regular Kanwar Yatra, where devotees wear saffron-colored attire, place the Kanwar on their shoulders, chant mantras of Bol Bam, and walk all the way to the Shiva temple.
Another form is the Dandi Yatra, in which worshippers cover the entire distance from the source where they collected the water to the lingam by prostrating themselves on the ground, regardless of how much time the process takes. There is also the Khadi Yatra, during which devotees are forbidden from sitting down or sleeping at any point along the way. They must remain standing until the ritual bath of the Shiva lingam is finally completed.
Dak Bam Yatra Considered the Most Difficult
Among all these variations, the Dak Bam journey is regarded as the most challenging. In this form of pilgrimage, devotees take a holy dip on the banks of the Ganges, take a solemn vow, and begin walking without stopping or consuming any food or water. They must complete the entire journey and pour the water over Lord Shiva within a strict window of 24 hours.
It is believed that the greater the austerity and stubborn devotion involved in worshipping Lord Shiva, the more auspicious the rewards will be. Because of this, the Dak Bam journey is considered the toughest, yet it is also believed to please Lord भोलेनाथ deeply. Every year, a substantial number of dedicated followers undertake this rigorous path.
