UP: Sawan begins with massive turnout, chaos and high-tech surveillance
Lucknow: The holy month of Sawan began across Uttar Pradesh with scenes of deep devotion, massive pilgrim turnout, and an unprecedented deployment of high-tech security systems.
As lakhs of Shiva devotees thronged temples from Varanasi to Prayagraj, chanting “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bol Bam,” the state witnessed both spiritual fervour and sporadic unrest, prompting authorities to intensify surveillance and law enforcement efforts along Kanwar Yatra routes.
At the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, thousands of devotees queued up since the early morning hours. Bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganga before offering jal (holy water) to Baba Vishwanath, the crowd became so dense that darshan was limited to just one second per person.
Varanasi Commissioner S Rajalingam marked the occasion by showering flower petals on pilgrims, while drone footage captured sweeping views of the temple complex and the vibrant turnout.
In a significant move, the temple administration has banned VIP darshan this year to ensure equal access for all devotees.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself offered prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, performing a Rudrabhishek and conducting a havan.
Similar scenes unfolded in Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Lucknow, where temple bells rang amid chants and incense.
While devotion marked the spiritual landscape, incidents of violence and chaos by kanwariyas (Shiva devotees on foot pilgrimage) were reported from multiple districts in both Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand.
In Muzaffarnagar, tensions flared at Shiv Chowk after a biker accidentally damaged a kanwar (the sacred pot carried by devotees). Enraged pilgrims vandalised the bike and assaulted bystanders before police intervened.
In Uttarakhand, three separate incidents of vandalism occurred—near Kaur College, at Patanjali Yogpeeth, and in Belda village near
Roorkee—where kanwariyas attacked vehicles and rivers for allegedly damaging their kanwars.
Amid the rising crowd pressure and occasional lawlessness, the Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a multi-layered, technology-driven security framework to ensure the safe conduct of the Kanwar Yatra 2025.
