Haridwar District Magistrate Vinay Shankar Pandey announced that all the schools, government, non-government closed, private schools, Sanskrit schools, madrasas, and Anganwadi centres of the district will remain closed from July 20 to July 26, for a week.
DM Pandey has also said that all meat shops on the pilgrimage route of Kanwar Yatra will remain closed while liquor-store counters facing the road will open in the opposite direction.
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The order will continue till the time Kanwar Yatra continues. Meat shops to be closed from July 14 to July 27, added the administration. Police forces are deployed to ensure that order is not violated.
What is the Kanwar Yatra?
The 'Kanwar Yatra' is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's devotees that started Thursday. The Kanwariyas (pilgrims) visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of the River Ganga. They then worship Lord Shiva with the same water.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Uttarakhand administration had announced that pilgrims with swords, tridents, and other such harmful objects will not be allowed during the Kanwar Yatra, and had declared to seize these objects at the border itself.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had said that the state government expects a footfall of more than 5 crore pilgrims during the holy month of Shravan and assured that all arrangements for a safe Kanwar Yatra were made by the state administration.
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The month of 'Sawan' explained
'Sawan' (Shravan), which is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year, started on July 14 (Thursday). The month holds great significance for devotees of Lord Shiva, who is considered the Supreme Lord, the creator, protector, and destroyer of the universe, according to Hindu religious beliefs.
During the month of Shravan, the devotees observe fasts on Mondays which are considered to be particularly auspicious days of the month. Lord Shiva is worshipped on Mondays throughout the year and the Mondays of this month are especially significant with the whole month being dedicated to the lord. The festival is celebrated predominantly in north India.
This year Sawan started on July 14 and will end on August 12. Four Mondays fall during this period- July 18, July 25, August 1, and August 8.
