The number of Kanwar devotees collecting Ganga water from Haridwar and Rishikesh has crossed 3.57 crore in just the first ten days of the 2025 Kanwar Yatra. With the pilgrimage entering its final stretch, footfall has surged dramatically in the past two to three days.
On Monday alone, more than 5.5 lakh pilgrims collected Ganga water from Haridwar and other holy sites across Uttarakhand before beginning their return journey.
According to data from the police and district administration, over 3.57 crore devotees have so far fetched Ganga water from Har Ki Pauri and other nearby ghats. On July 22, a record crowd of more than 55 lakh Kanwar pilgrims, including ‘Dak Kanwars’ (who run while carrying the water), gathered at prominent spots such as Har Ki Pauri, Bhimgoda, and Subhash Ghat.
Haridwar SSP Premendra Singh Dobhal confirmed that between July 10 and 21, nearly 3.57 crore pilgrims successfully collected Ganga water from Har Ki Pauri and other sites. On Sunday, July 21, around 5.3 lakh pilgrims departed for their hometowns after collecting the holy water.
As the Kanwar Yatra enters its final days, the pace of the ‘Dak Kanwar’ pilgrims has intensified. Devotees are now in a hurry to collect the sacred water and return to their hometowns to perform the ritual of pouring Ganga water on Shiva lingams before the month of Sawan concludes.
The pilgrimage has picked up such speed that many devotees are covering long distances within hours. Pilgrims from Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh reportedly completed the 180 km journey from Haridwar in just six hours, while youths from Ghaziabad covered 195 kilometers in seven hours.
The next two to three days are expected to be even more hectic, as lakhs of Shiva devotees will arrive before the sacred month of Sawan, as per the Vikram Samvat calendar, draws to a close. It is a long-standing tradition for Lord Shiva’s devotees to fetch Ganga water during this time and offer it at their local Shiva temples.