Kanwar yatra acquires political flavour in UP

The next Lok Sabha elections may be several months away but the ongoing "kanwar yatra" (an annual pilgrimage in the Hindu month of Shravana during which the devotees carry the sacred waters of Ganga in earthen pitchers and offer the same to Lord Shiva) seems to have already acquired a political flavour.

Songs heaping praise on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for allowing the use of DJs in the yatra, during which the devotees at times walk over 100 km barefoot carrying pitchers, are a big hit with devotees.

Songs like "chakke churwa diya Yogi ne... dj bajwa diye Yogi ne" (Yogi beat everyone...Yogi allowed playing of DJ) could be heard playing loudly during the yatra in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, especially in the districts adjoining Varanasi, Allahabad, Muzaffarnagar and Meerut.

A few songs criticising former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav for banning the use of DJ during the kanwar yatra, when his party was in power in the state, were also played.

The Akhilesh Yadav-led government had banned DJs as it triggered communal tension in some parts of the state.

The Muslim community had objected to the use of DJs especially when the groups of dancing devotees passed from near mosques.

The Adityanath government, however, lifted the ban.

The chief minister had even once remarked that the kanwar yatra was not a funeral procession, where DJs could not play.

The state government, however, banned playing of film songs during the yatra.