Prune ‘unholy’ fig trees for Kanwariyas: Yogi

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, July 1

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today ordered the pruning of gular (wild fig) trees en route of the Kanwariya yatra considered ‘apavitra’ (impure) by pilgrims. He was addressing a  meeting at the secretariat to supervise preparations for the Kanwariya yatra, the first such exercise by any CM. The meeting was also attended by officials from Uttarakhand.

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Devotees of Lord Shiva undertake the yatra every rainy season (shravan) to Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch water from the Ganga. They carry the holy water across hundreds of miles for offering at their local temples and at Pura Mahadeva and Augharnath temples in Meerut, Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and Deoghar in Jharkhand. This year the yatra will begin on July 10. It will conclude on August 7.

Mahant of the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi Vishmbhar Nath Mishra, however, decried Yogi’s move as “unscientific”. He said instead of promoting superstition, the CM should have urged the pilgrims to refrain from littering the route and the river with plastic bottles.

Meanwhile, Yogi has issued a list of “dos and don’ts” for the pilgrims which will be advertised. The pilgrims have been asked to adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines on decibel levels while using loudspeakers and to refrain from filmi songs.