19–31 July 2027

Kanwar Yatra: carrying Ganga water to Shiva in the month of Shravan

Name: Kanwar Yatra
Start: 2027-07-19
End: 2027-07-31
Location: India

Saffron-clad walkers carrying Ganga water home in pots slung from a shoulder pole

The Kanwar Yatra is the annual pilgrimage of Shiva devotees, the kanwariyas, in the monsoon month of Shravan (Sawan). They collect Ganga water at Haridwar, Gangotri, Gaumukh or Sultanganj and carry it in two pots slung from a shoulder pole, the kanwar, often hundreds of kilometres on foot, to pour over the linga of a Shiva temple. It runs from the first day of Shravan, the day after Guru Purnima, to Sawan Shivaratri about two weeks later. At Haridwar, the main collection point: 19–31 July 2027 (expected). For other travellers this means heavy crowds and special traffic arrangements, which the authorities announce each season.

Countdown19–31 July 2027

When19–31 July 2027

Kanwariyas walk to Haridwar, Gangotri or Gaumukh, fill vessels with river water and carry them on a shouldered pole back to a Shiva temple at home to pour over the linga. It is a mass pilgrimage on foot, and one of the largest annual movements of people anywhere: a festival, not a single ritual.

The days follow the lunar calendar; the Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments announce traffic diversions and pilgrim registration a few weeks ahead.

The legend

Legend says that when the gods and asuras churned the Ocean of Milk, poison rose before the nectar, and the world began to burn with its heat.

🔱

Shiva took the poison into himself and saved the world, but he too began to suffer from its burning power.

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Then his devotee Ravana brought Ganga water in a kanwar and poured it in Shiva's temple at Pura Mahadev, and the pain eased.

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As late as the 1980s only a few ascetics and elders carried the water. Today the yatra to Haridwar is India's largest annual religious gathering.

The water carried home is poured over the linga in the local temple: every Shravan millions retrace the water's journey to Shiva.

Meaning

Bihar, Jharkhand

Here the water is taken at Sultanganj and carried 105 km on foot to Deoghar. This route is mentioned as early as the 1700s.

Customs

Saffron and bare feet

Kanwariyas walk in saffron, barefoot by vow, usually in groups of family, friends and neighbours.

The kanwar pole

A pole, usually bamboo, rests on the shoulder, with two covered pots of Ganga water hanging from its ends.

Camps by the road

Volunteers set up camps along the highways with food, shelter, medical aid and stands to hang the kanwars on.

Shravan Mondays

The month of Shravan is devoted to Shiva, and many fast on its Mondays.

Up to the source

Some fill their pots at Haridwar; others climb to Gangotri or to the Gaumukh glacier, where the Ganga begins.

Words of the festival

कांवड़

kanwar

the shoulder pole with two pots, which gives the yatra its name

कावड़िया

kanwariya

a pilgrim who carries a kanwar

भोले

Bhole

"the guileless one": a name for Shiva and for the pilgrims themselves

गंगाजल

gangajal

Ganga water, carried home in the pots

अभिषेक

abhisheka

anointing a sacred image; the journey ends with it at the linga

True or myth

The Kanwar Yatra has always drawn millions.

❌ Myth. Until the late 1980s it was undertaken by a few ascetics and older devotees; it became a mass pilgrimage only in recent decades.

Only men carry the kanwar.

❌ Myth. Most pilgrims are men, but women walk the yatra too.

Not every kanwariya walks.

✅ True. Most go on foot, but some travel by bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or jeep.

What the pilgrimage looks like

Kanwariyas walk in saffron, barefoot by vow, usually in groups of family, friends and neighbours. Most are men, but women walk too. Most go on foot; some travel by bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or jeep. Along the highways, volunteer organisations set up camps with food, shelter, medical aid and stands to hang the kanwars on.

The journey ends with abhisheka, pouring the water over the Shiva linga: in a village temple, or at well-known shrines such as Pura Mahadev in Baghpat, Augharnath in Meerut, Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi or Baidyanath in Deoghar. The month is devoted to Shiva, and many devotees fast on its Mondays.

The scale is recent. Until the late 1980s the yatra was a small affair; today the pilgrimage to Haridwar is India's largest annual religious gathering. In one recent season Akashvani, the public broadcaster, reported that more than 2.5 crore (25 million) kanwariyas had collected water at Haridwar as the yatra neared its peak, with the season's total estimated at over six crore.

Story and history

The yatra retells a legend, as devotees tell it. When the gods and asuras churned the Ocean of Milk, poison rose before the nectar; Shiva drank it to save the world and began to suffer from its heat, until his devotee Ravana carried Ganga water in a kanwar to the temple at Pura Mahadev and poured it over him. Every Shravan the pilgrims repeat that journey.

As a historical practice, the earliest mention identified by Professor Devi Prasad Dubey of the University of Allahabad goes back to the 1700s, when pilgrims carried water from Sultanganj to the Vaidyanath shrine at Deoghar. That route, about 105 km on foot, is still walked in Shravan by the Bol Bam pilgrims. After the 1960s the custom spread to the towns, and it grew sharply in the 1980s, with better roads.

Where the water is collected

The main points on the Ganga, from the plains to the source.

Haridwar

The main collection point, at the ghats around Har Ki Pauri. The Haridwar mela is the largest part of the yatra.

Rishikesh and Neelkanth

Many pilgrims also go upriver to Rishikesh and the Neelkanth Mahadev temple.

Gangotri and Gaumukh

Some climb to Gangotri, or to the Gaumukh glacier where the Ganga begins.

Sultanganj to Deoghar

In Bihar and Jharkhand the water is taken at Sultanganj and carried 105 km on foot to the Baidyanath temple at Deoghar.

Roads, diversions and official notices

Traffic arrangements for the yatra are not fixed: they are announced afresh before each season. Who announces them:

Uttarakhand: the state government, the Haridwar district administration (haridwar.nic.in) and Uttarakhand Police (uttarakhandpolice.uk.gov.in), for Haridwar, Rishikesh and the roads into them.
Uttar Pradesh: the state government and the police of the districts on the route (uppolice.gov.in).
Delhi: Delhi Traffic Police (traffic.delhipolice.gov.in), with its own advisory for the routes through the capital.

The details change from year to year, so do not plan from last year's reports. Before you travel, read the current notice from these sources or their official social media accounts, and follow the instructions of the police on the spot.

If you are travelling during the yatra

Or come another time — If you are not coming for the yatra, plan Haridwar and Rishikesh for other weeks. October to November and February to March are the most comfortable months. See best time to visit Haridwar.
Stay within walking distance — If you do go, book a room within walking distance of the ghats and check the current traffic notice before you set off. See where to stay in Haridwar.
Monsoon weather — July and August are the wettest months, with around 260–280 mm of rain and 9–11 rainy days a month, and the Ganga runs high.
Crowds — The FCDO notes that stampedes have occurred at events with large crowds, including religious gatherings, advises avoiding large gatherings, including at religious sites, and following the advice of local authorities. Emergency number: 112, see emergency numbers.

FAQ

When is the Kanwar Yatra?

At Haridwar: 19–31 July 2027 (expected). It begins on the first day of Shravan, the day after Guru Purnima, and ends on Sawan Shivaratri, usually between July and mid-August.

Where does the Kanwar Yatra go from and to?

Pilgrims collect Ganga water at Haridwar, Gangotri, Gaumukh or Sultanganj and carry it back to a Shiva temple, often in their home town, or to shrines such as Pura Mahadev, Kashi Vishwanath or Baidyanath in Deoghar.

What does kanwar mean?

The kanwar is the shoulder pole, usually of bamboo, with a covered pot of Ganga water hanging from each end; it gives the yatra its name. A pilgrim who carries one is a kanwariya.

Are roads closed in Haridwar during the Kanwar Yatra?

Traffic arrangements are announced each season by the Haridwar district administration and Uttarakhand Police, and for the routes through Uttar Pradesh and Delhi by the police there. Check the current official notice before travelling.

Can women take part in the Kanwar Yatra?

Yes. Most pilgrims are men, but women walk the yatra too.

Sources (10)

Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.

Festival calendar in the app Open

2026 · Haridwar	30 July – 11 August 2026
2027 · Haridwar	19–31 July 2027
2028 · Haridwar	7–20 July 2028
2029 · Haridwar	26 July – 8 August 2029
2030 · Haridwar	15–28 July 2030