Author: Vikas Mehta

With apologies to none at all

 

It’s uncanny how for the last two-three years our yearly family holidays have coincided with the Kanwar Yatra. For the uninitiated, Kanwar Yatra is an annual ritual during the month of Sawan (rains), when pilgrims walk barefoot from their villages to collect gangajal, mostly from Haridwar, but also from Gomukh and Rishikesh to take it back to the village Shiv temples to do jalabhishek of the deity.

 

Till a decade ago, this was an unheralded, unnoticed and a quiet ritual that was not even a blip on anyone’s radar. But given the intertwining of politics and religion, the Yatra has earned its place under the sun. In the north, this is an event which today, unfortunately, is also associated with rowdiness and unruliness.

 

In this column, I am attempting to make some unbiased observations and also delve into its economic consequences.

 

As this is a strenuous Yatra, mostly it is associated with youngsters. Given India’s demographic profile, the Yatra attracts huge numbers of pilgrims. That, coupled with the current dispensation’s agenda of highlighting any Hindu festival or ritual the Yatra, attracts numbers in millions. On the occasion of Guru Purnima, that’s when the month of sawan commences, it is estimated that more than a million people had gathered at Haridwar.

 

As the Yatra gains pace, most of the national and state highways between Delhi and Haridwar are overrun with the devotees. As a result, for about two weeks, the main highways are closed to all transport except for the Kanwariyas. But wait, wasn’t this supposed to be a barefoot walking Yatra. Technically, yes. But with the popularity, political patronage and money flowing into the Yatra, the Yatra has spread further and evolved with new rules and rituals.

 

Enter Dak Kanwars. Traditionally, the Kanwars (that’s what the devotees who do the pilgrimage are called), would carry the gangajal in specially decorated palanquins a la, Shravan Kumar. I have attached some photos at the end of the article for reference. But now with distances increased and there being a premium on time, the Yatra is done in groups using bikes, trucks or tempos.

 

These vehicles run along with the Kanwars who do a sort of relay amongst themselves carrying the gangajal as the baton in a relay race. One rule being that the gangajal will not be rested along the ground. Most Kanwars consult a priest to decide how much time they should take to get back from Haridwar and try to reach back in that time.

 

Now these modes of transport become their home for a few days. The trucks are decorated with banners, religious flags and equipped with food, gas cylinders, gensets, water barrels, fuel for the genset, sleeping mattresses etc. In fact they have two levels. The upper deck is where they sleep and lower is where all the stuff is kept. And at the back a ladder is secured firmly. Please do look at the photographs attached. It’s Indian jugaad exemplified.

 

But the jugaad is scary. Imagine gas cylinder, genset, diesel all in one closed area. All it needs is a spark. Actually it should not be called a jugaad at all.

 

Some of you may be wondering why the genset. Well, now these Dak Kanwars also need music. So, music systems with huge speakers, disco lights and DJs also are part of the converted vehicles. I witnessed impromptu DJ contests right in the middle of the road. Vehicle pollution, genset pollution plus noise pollution was a potent cocktail that contributed to the increased levels of adrenaline and testosterone.

 

And the increased level of adrenalin coupled with the increasing political patronage behind the Yatra, the Kanwars have a free hand. They become belligerent, they boss the whole route and mostly become a law by themselves. The governments of Uttarakhand and UP go out of the way to honour the Kanwars; showering of rose petals from helicopter, the CM and various dignitaries washing the feet of the Kanwars, all traffic being banned on roads. Given the lax handling, the Yatra is denigrating into a lawless affair. This year, police officers have been manhandled twice. FIRs have been registered but hardly any arrests or strict action has been taken.

 

Last week, I witnessed some of the high-handedness myself. The bikers were shooing away cars. Once when our driver honked for the Kanwars to be careful, as they were driving recklessly, they glared at him, mouthing abuses and I feared the worst. But our cabbie was experienced at this. He immediately folded his hand in apology and mouthed a religious chant. We got away, but the danger was omnipresent.

 

Personally, I think, all this is deliberate. Not only does this distract the youth from his miseries of unemployment and inflation but it also gives him a chance to flex his muscles and for once show to the world that he is the boss. And of course, I dare say that this also gives an aggressive outlook to Hindutva, which is what the current dispensation wants. Just as an example, all the flags which had the image of Lord Hanuman, had the new serious, angry, brooding look. Not his gentle and devotee look, which is how I remember Lord Hanuman. Again, see the visuals below.

 

And the aggressiveness is exemplified by the songs that have become a rage during the Yatra. These are local songs, mostly based on the Bollywood tunes, but they are aggressive in nature. One song which I heard many a times had lyrics which said something to the effect “main highway hoga jaam, ke Kanwar aye hain.” (The main highway will be jammed because the Kanwars have arrived). The assertiveness and aggressiveness was in your face.

 

Now let’s look at the economics of this event. There are first some negatives. Most of the hotels dhabas and eating joints on the Yatra route shut down. We found it very difficult to find even a single decent place, not overrun by the Kanwars to stop at. Of course the food courts and brands like McDonalds or Burger King which serve non-vegetarian foods stand no chance. But food with onion and garlic is also not allowed. Only Satvik food. One small dhaba was vandalised because it was alleged that it was serving non Satvik vegetarian food. Most of dhaba owners shut down voluntarily because they fear non-payment and vandalism. This results not just in loss of business but also loss of employment for many.

 

On the positive side is the amount of money flowing into the economy. If you look at the economics of each Dak Kanwar truck and associated mobikes, depending upon the distance, nothing less than a lakh a day is required. Someone or many are sponsoring this. And the total amount is mind-boggling. Imagine the extra money that a DJ or the truck companies or the drivers, or the genset companies, or the petrol pumps are making. And the associate labour cost plus temporary employment opportunity. Not to forget that businesses, small businessmen and even families pitch in to help the Kanwars by opening free langars and bhandaras on the roadside. Again the temporary employment this all generates.

 

What caught my eye was also group of people standing in the roadside with water bottles, food packets, snacks etc doling it out to the Kanwars.

 

Environmentally, there are huge downsides. There is no waste management systems. There is no awareness of waste management. People dole out water bottles which are dumped on the road. Food left overs, waste as in plastic, packaging material, paper etc was littered right through the route. Gangajal is now transported in plastic bottles and plastic jerrycans. And the pollution issues I have already highlighted.

 

Kanwar Yatra is not a new phenomenon. Indeed a friend tells me that it happens in the South too. But typically it was associated with the hardships of a pilgrimage. Youngsters walking for days, barefoot with palanquins slung over their shoulders carrying gangajal. Local villagers helping and feting them. Quiet, unassuming and serene.

 

That has changed. Is it for the worse? That’s what many do not think.

 

Religious overtones have become a sacred cow. Not to be debated or questioned. Even politically, opposing it may mean a kiss of death for a political party. So, no one questions it. In the meantime, the Yatra gets more boisterous, more aggressive and more in your face. Some say, it is good as it lets the youth vent out their anger and hopelessness.

 

I don’t agree. For me it’s a reflection of how divided and polarised we have become.

 

It also tells me how we have been intimidated into silence.

 

We have a problem of a polarised youth. But we refuse to address it.

 

I was advised by all not to travel by road. Avoid the Kanwars. Don’t take a chance with them. They are dangerous. Everyone was happy living in a cocooned sheltered safe life. No one wanted to address the issue but just criticise the Yatra. In private.

 

All the above is also the reason why big brands or marketers keep away from the occasion. They don’t want to be associated with what goes in the name of the Yatra.

 

The shame is truly on us.

 

Vikas Mehta is a senior marketing strategist and educator based in Dehradun. He writes on MxMIndia every other Monday. His views here are personal.