Atul Ashok Howale 
The Kanwar Yatra started on July 22 this year with lakhs of Kanwariyas gathering in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar to carry the holy Ganga water to their hometowns.
The Wire travelled with Kanwariyas from Haridwar to Muzaffarnagar. Kanwariyas from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan participated in this yatra.
The yatra saw a large participation of youth comprising of informal workers, students and unemployed individuals. The Kanwariyas came from various backgrounds, including daily wage workers, helpers, drivers and vegetable vendors, all from economically weaker sections of the society.
The tradition of participating in the Kanwar Yatra is often passed down through families. Some Kanwariyas participated with their young children while others joined with their entire families.
In this documentary, we connected with the people who participated in the Kanwar Yatra during their journey. The documentary also focuses on the violation of rules by the Kanwariyas. Due to the Kanwar Yatra, highways were blocked, leading to significant traffic jams. Additionally, the DJ culture during the Yatra contributed to the violation of rules.