Kanwar Yatra

Kanwar Yatra, Bhagwan Shiv ke prati atoot aastha aur samarpan ka ek jeevant prateek hai. Har saal Shravan (Sawan) ke pavitra mahine mein lakhon shraddhalu, jinhein ‘Kanwariya’ kaha jaata hai, kesariya vastra dharan kar pavitra nadiyon, vishesh roop se Haridwar, Gomukh, Gangotri aur Sultanganj se Gangajal lekar saikdon kilometer ki paidal yatra karte hain. Ve is pavitra jal ko ‘Kanwar’ naamak ek saje hue baans ke dande par latkakar apne kandhon par le jaate hain aur phir apne sthaniya Shiv mandiron mein Shivling ka abhishek karte hain. Yeh yatra keval ek dharmik anushthan nahi hai, balki yeh tapasya, sankalp aur bhakti ki ek anokhi misaal hai, jo Bharat ki adhyatmik bhumi par sadiyon se chali aa rahi hai.

Yeh lekh

Kanwar Yatra ka Historical aur Pauranik Origin

Kanwar Yatra ki shuruat ko lekar kai pauranik aur aitihasik manyataein prachalit hain, jo ise aur bhi rahasyamayi aur shraddhey banati hain.

Bhagwan Parshuram: Pehle Kanwariya
Ek vyapak manyata ke anusar, Bhagwan Vishnu ke chhathe avatar, Bhagwan Parshuram ko pratham Kanwariya mana jaata hai. Kaha jaata hai ki unhone Garhmukteshwar se Gangajal lekar Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh) ke paas sthit ‘Pura Mahadev’ mandir mein Bhagwan Shiv ka jalabhishek kiya tha. Is prakar, unhone is pavitra parampara ki neev rakhi aur aaj bhi kai Kanwadiye un prachin maargon ka anusharan karte hain.

Samudra Manthan aur Bhagwan Shiv ka Vishpaan
Kanwar Yatra ka sabse gehra sambandh Samudra Manthan ki pauranik katha se hai. Jab devtaon aur asuron ne amrit ki prapti ke liye samudra manthan kiya, to sabse pehle Halahal naamak atyant vinashkari vish nikla. Vish ki bhayankar jwala se sampoorn srishti jalne lagi. Tab srishti ki raksha ke liye Bhagwan Shiv ne us vish ko pee liya aur use apne kanth mein dharan kar liya, jisse unka kanth neela pad gaya aur ve ‘Neelkanth’ kehlaye.

Is vish ke teevra prabhav se Bhagwan Shiv ke shareer mein atyadhik jalan hone lagi. Is jalan ko shaant karne ke liye Tretayug mein, Shiv ke param bhakt, Lankapati Ravan ne kanwar mein Gangajal bharkar laya aur Pura Mahadev mein Shivling par arpit kiya, jisse Bhagwan Shiv ko vish ki nakaratmak urja se mukti mili. Isi ghatna se kanwar dwara jalabhishek ki parampara ka aarambh mana jaata hai.

Bhagwan Ram aur Shravan Kumar se Judav
Kuch manyataein Kanwar Yatra ko Bhagwan Ram se bhi jodti hain. Kaha jaata hai ki Bhagwan Ram ne Bihar ke Sultanganj se Gangajal lekar Deoghar sthit Baidyanath Dham mein Shivling ka jalabhishek kiya tha.

Iske atirikt, Tretayug mein Shravan Kumar ki katha bhi is yatra ko ek naya aayam deti hai. Shravan Kumar ne apne netraheen mata-pita ki teerth yatra ki ichha poori karne ke liye unhein ek kanwar mein baithakar Haridwar tak ki yatra karai aur Ganga snan karaya tha. Laut’te samay ve apne saath Gangajal bhi laaye. Yeh katha seva aur samarpan ke bhaav ko Kanwar Yatra se jodti hai.

Modern History
Aitihasik roop se, 19veen sadi mein bhi Kanwar Yatra ka ullekh milta hai, haalanki us samay yeh kuch sadhuon aur bhakton tak hi seemit thi. 1980 ke dashak ke baad is yatra mein abhootpoorv vriddhi hui aur yeh ek vishal jan andolan ka roop le chuki hai. Aaj yeh Bharat ki sabse badi aur lokpriya teerthyatraon mein se ek hai.

Kanwar Yatra ki Importance

Kanwar Yatra ka mahatva keval ek dharmik anushthan tak seemit nahi hai, balki iske gehre adhyatmik, samajik aur vyaktigat maayne hain.

• Aastha aur Samarpan ka Prateek: Yeh yatra Bhagwan Shiv ke prati bhakton ki atoot shraddha aur samarpan ka prateek hai. Saikdon kilometer ki paidal yatra, kathin niyam aur sharirik kasht sahakar bhakt apni aastha prakat karte hain.
• Manokamnaon ki Poorti: Bhakton ka dridh vishwas hai ki Sawan ke mahine mein paidal yatra kar Bhagwan Shiv ko Gangajal arpit karne se ve sheeghra prasann hote hain aur unki sabhi manokamnayein poori karte hain.
• Adhyatmik Shuddhi aur Paapon ka Naash: Mana jaata hai ki Kanwar Yatra ek prakar ki tapasya hai. Is kathin yatra ko safaltapoorvak poora karne se bhakton ke paap nasht ho jaate hain aur unhein adhyatmik shanti ki anubhuti hoti hai.
• Samajik Samrasta: Kanwar Yatra mein jaati, panth, ameer-gareeb ka koi bhed nahi hota. Sabhi bhakt ‘Bhole’ ke naam se jaane jaate hain aur ek-doosre ki madad karte hue yatra poori karte hain. Yeh yatra samajik samrasta aur ekta ka ek anokha udaharan prastut karti hai.
• Jal Sanrakshan ka Sandesh: Prateekatmak roop se, Kanwar Yatra jal ke mahatva ko bhi rekhankit karti hai. Yeh hamein yaad dilati hai ki jal jeevan ka aadhar hai aur nadiyon ka sanrakshan aavashyak hai. Srishti roopi Shiv ka jal se abhishek karna, prakriti ke prati kritagyata vyakt karna bhi hai.

Kanwadiyon ke liye Niyam aur Discipline

Kanwar Yatra atyant pavitra maani jaati hai aur is dauran Kanwadiyon ko kuch kade niyamon ka paalan karna anivarya hota hai. In niyamon ka paalan yatra ki safalta aur punya prapti ke liye aavashyak mana jaata hai.

Yatra ke Mukhya Niyam:

Yatra ke dauran Kanwadiyon ko sharirik aur mansik, dono roop se shuddhta banaye rakhni hoti hai. Bina snan kiye kanwar ko chhoona varjit hai. Yatra ka sabse kathor niyam yeh hai ki kanwar ko kabhi bhi seedhe zameen par nahi rakha jaata. Aaram karte samay kanwar ko kisi unche sthan, ped ki daal ya khaas taur par banaye gaye stand par hi rakhte hain. Yadi kanwar zameen ko sparsh kar le to use khandit mana jaata hai aur yatri ko phir se jal bharkar yatra shuru karni padti hai.

Iske alawa, yatra mein maans, madira ya kisi bhi prakaar ke nasheele padarth ka sevan poori tarah se mana hai. Lehsun-pyaaj jaise tamsik bhojan se bhi door rehna hota hai. Yatriyon ko poorn brahmacharya ka paalan karna hota hai. Chamde se bani vastuyein jaise belt, joote, chappal aadi ka istemal nahi kiya jaata. Yatra ke dauran kisi ke liye apashabdon ka prayog na karne aur sabhi se vinamra vyavahar karne ki apeksha ki jaati hai. Tel, sabun, kanghi jaise shringaar ki vastuon ka upyog bhi varjit maana jaata hai.

Kanwar ke Types

Mukhya roop se Kanwar teen prakaar ki hoti hain:

• Sadharan Kanwar: Ismein Kanwadiye apni suvidhanusar rukkar, vishram karte hue yatra poori karte hain. Raaste mein bhakton ke liye lagaye gaye seva shiviron mein ve aaram kar sakte hain.
• Khadi Kanwar: Is yatra mein kanwar ko hamesha khada rakha jaata hai, yaani jab ek Kanwariya aaram karta hai, to doosra Kanwariya kanwar ko apne kandhe par lekar khada rehta hai. Yeh yatra kaafi kathin hoti hai aur ismein aamtaur par do ya adhik logon ka samuh hota hai.
• Dak Kanwar: Yeh sabse kathin prakaar ki Kanwar yatra hai. Ismein Kanwadiye ek nishchit samay-seema ke bheetar jalabhishek karne ka sankalp lete hain aur jal bharne ke baad bina ruke lagatar daudte hue mandir tak pahunchte hain. Is dauran kanwar ko zameen par nahi rakha jaata aur unki team ke anya sadasya vahan se unke aage-aage chalte hain taaki raasta saaf rahe.

READ ANOTHER POST – SAWAN KE PRAMUKH TYOHAR AND YATRA

FAQs