Being a Kanwaria - A Journey of Faith and Self-Realization

By T. V. Sinha
Aug. 28, 2008

The Town of Sultangunj

Sultangunj is a small town on the banks of Ganga. A few modern facilities like a mobile shop and a two wheeler shops have reached this town.

The other members of my small Kanwaria toli (group), my school friend Sanjay Sinha and his relatives were to reach Sultangunj from Bhagalpur some four hours later. So I took this time to roam around and get a feel of this “one traffic light” town.

The entire town was full of Saffron clad Kanwarias. A chain of loudspeakers was making continuous announcement about public utilities such as “lost and found” and phone numbers of important officials and so on. There was a mela (fair) like atmosphere. I learnt that the officer in charge of the Mela, a gazetted officer of the government of Bihar, is called Mela Dandadhikari (literally Fair punishment officer). Why could he not be called a Seva Adhikari (a service officer)? It is perhaps a literal translation of the British time post of Mela Magistrate. Strange that an officer in a democracy is called a punishment officer! I could not suppress a chuckle at this funny designation.

Sealing of Gangajal

Anyhow, the administration had done a pretty decent job of maintaining cleanliness. There were ‘no entry’ signs for vehicular traffic on streets where Kanwarias were walking. What is more, they were being enforced strictly. There were some VIP pass holders who were taking their vehicles in those narrow streets. I could not help wonder how these VIPs would make their foot journey to Deoghar.

Khaki clad policemen were enthusiastically directing traffic, both vehicular as well as Kanwarias. Temporary stalls selling items associated with the pilgrimage were pretty much all over the town. There was a tax on these temporary structures and the loudspeakers were announcing the rates of this tax continuously.

By 5:30 pm or so, other members of my team had arrived. I quickly changed into my saffron clothes. My friend’s uncle, a veteran of several kanwars, took me to a stall to buy my Kanwar. This is when I first got initiated into the various components of the Kanwar: the bells, the plastic snakes, the statues, the small stand for incense sticks, the ropes and of course the water containers. There are basically three containers: one for Baba Vaidyanath at Devghar, one for Baba Vasukinath and a small one called “Pavitri” (literally purifier). One sprinkles pavitri water whenever one gets up after taking rest or answering nature’s call and the like.

Having armed myself with all the accessories for the Yatra, I put my foot wear away and was ready to start. The walk for the pilgrimage is performed bare foot. The distance from the no entry sign to the ghat where one collects Gangajal is about 2 kms. This being a town area, the road is normal tar type. This short journey gave me a hint of the perils of the long barefoot walk ahead.

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