The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to allow the Kanwar Yatra this year from July 25, as per The Times of India report. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to prepare guidelines for conducting the yatra while ensuring full compliance to COVID-19 protocols.

“The yatra is scheduled to begin from July 25. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that UP officials should should speak to their counterparts in Bihar, as there is significant movement of devotees between our two states, and ensure that there are no violations of Covid protocols. The home department has been asked to formulate a detailed guideline for regulating the yatra this year,” TOI quoted a government spokesperson as saying.

Amid the guidelines, it is likely to be declared that only five people will be permitted inside a temple at one time, social distancing and wearing masks will also be compulsory, an official told the leading daily.

Earlier, the Uttarakhand government, on July 2, cancelled the Kanwar Yatra from Haridwar in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. “Uttarakhand government has cancelled Kanwar Yatra, held in the month of ‘sawan’ from Haridwar, as a precautionary measure amid COVID-19 pandemic,” State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal said. The Uttarakhand government had scrapped the yatra last year as well due to the pandemic.

During Hindu calendar month of `Saavan’ every year, the Shiva devotees, also known as Kanwariyas, fetch the holy waters of Ganga to offer at the Shiva temples.

These pilgrims visit Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the waters of Ganga. This water is then offered to Lord Shiva in temples.