- By Kashish Rai
- Tue, 01 Jul 2025 03:33 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Kanwar Yatra 2025 is a sacred annual pilgrimage where devotees of Lord Shiva collect holy Ganga Jal from Gomukh or Gangotri and carry it to Neelkanth to offer it to the Lord. Held during the Shravan month (July - August), this tradition, once followed by sages, now draws lakhs of participants, including women and children, from states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and more. The journey is filled with deep devotion, and the air echoes with chants of ‘Bol Bam’, ‘Bam Bam Bhole’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ as kanwariyas walk together, united in faith and purpose.
Check out all the details regarding the start and end date of Kanwar Yatra 2025 and know the significance of this sacred pilgrimage during the Sawan month below.
Kanwar Yatra 2025: 10th Or 11th July, When Will Kanwar Yatra Begin?
This year, Kanwar Yatra commences on 11 July, after Guru Purnima and on the first day of Sawan month and concludes on 23 July, on Sawan Shivratri.
Kanwar Yatra brings Shiva devotees together as they walk barefoot in saffron robes, carrying Ganga Jal in pots on their shoulders to offer at sacred shrines with chants and pure devotion. (Image Source: ANI Photo)
Kanwar Yatra 2025: Significance And Rituals Of Kanwar Yatra
The Kanwar Yatra is a deeply sacred annual pilgrimage undertaken by devotees of Lord Shiva, known as Kanwariyas or Bhole. Each year during the monsoon month of Shravan, millions of pilgrims from across India journey to holy sites such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Ajgaibinath Temple in Sultanganj, Bihar. There, they collect sacred water from the Ganges, which they then carry back over long distances to offer at their local Shiva temples or renowned shrines like Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi or Baidyanath in Deoghar.
The pilgrimage is named after the "kanwar", a bamboo pole carried on the shoulders, with pots of Gangajal hanging from each end. Pilgrims balance this pole as they walk barefoot, often dressed in saffron robes. It is a test of devotion, endurance, and spiritual discipline, with groups of friends, families, and communities walking together and chanting “Bol Bam” and “Har Har Mahadev” in unison.
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According to Hindu legends, the yatra traces back to Treta Yuga when Lord Rama carried Ganga water in a kanwar to offer it to Shiva at Puramahadev, helping ease the effects of poison Shiva had swallowed during the churning of the cosmic ocean.