Number of women Kanwadias on the rise, likely to cross last year’s 25L

The craze of collecting Gangajal from Haridwar is no less in the women than in the men these days. Every year, the number of the women kanwadiyas has been rising and this season so far, the percentage of the women pilgrims stands in the neighbourhood of 30. With the traditional kanwad on their shoulders and ‘Bam Bam Bhole’ on their lips, these women are being seen treading the pilgrimage route step in step with the men to collect water from the holy Ganga and back. An estimated number of 25 lakh women had come to the holy city last year. This time, the number is likely to go up, given the trend so far.

A few years ago, things were different. Even then there were some women seen among the pilgrims. But their role was restricted to assisting the men with whom they came. But now they are coming on their own.

One of them Roshan Mata from Bijnor said while speaking to The Pioneer that she has been coming here on the pilgrimage for the past many years. “My teenage son comes with me and carries the kanwad. Two years ago, I performed ‘dandaouti’. This time I cannot do that as I have fever.  I am embarking on the pilgrimage for my husband who is crippled following a paralytic attack,” she narrated.

Another woman from Muzaffarnagar, Mamta said that her husband used to carry the kanwad during the pilgrimage previously. “But as he cannot walk properly after he suffered a disease I am continuing with the tradition.  My earlier wish was fulfilled. As my children were not surviving after birth I undertook the pilgrimage and see, I am blessed with two healthy twins,” she said.

Many like Mamta take to the pilgrimage to have their wishes fulfilled. Meena Saini, a woman kanwadia from Bulandshahr, had undertaken the pilgrimage for the first time to Haridwar three years ago. “I have been maintaining the tradition for the past three years. Once one wish is fulfilled we undertake another pilgrimage to have another wish fulfilled. This way the pilgrimage continues,” said Meena.

There are again some feisty women among the Kanwadiyas. They choose to keep hawk eye vigil on the men they come with to see that they do not dope in the name of the religious pilgrimage.

“A few of the men on pilgrims are inclined to consume narcotics and they defend themselves while citing traditions of ‘Shiva Bhaktas’. But we are very much strict with them so that the purity of the pilgrimage is maintained all through,” said one of the women pilgrims whose pilgrimage is charged with a mission other than wish fulfilment, to keep their men away from the lure of the opium. Importantly, every year during this season, Haridwar sees a narcotic racket doing thriving business running into crores.