Flower petals showered from helicopter on Kanwariyas in Meerut

Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 1 : Flower petals were showered from a helicopter over Kanwariyas in Meerut on Thursday.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the 'Shiv Samagam' programme organized in Haridwar.
On this occasion, he also released the book The Eternal Lord Great Shiva Temples of Uttarakhand, prepared by the Haridwar District Administration based on various Shiva temples in the state.
The Chief Minister said in this programme that he has the privilege of serving the Shiva devotees, Kanwariyas, who have come to the holy city of Haridwar as the Chief Servant of the state, which is a blessing of Lord Mahadev.
Further, he added that the Kanwar Yatra ties the country together, and people from different states come to the religious city of Haridwar to take the holy Ganga water.
On Tuesday, Dhami welcomed the Kanwar Yatris at the Om Pul Ghat near Damkothi in Haridwar by washing their feet and offering them garlands, shawls and Gangajal.
The Kanwar Yatra is a significant ritual during this period. People gather water from sacred rivers for this rite and place it in little mud pots known as kanwars.
Devotees don saffron-coloured clothes while carrying the holy water and walk on foot to visit temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Devotees who are termed Kanwariyas visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga and then worship God with that water.
In the Hindu calendar, 'Sawan' also known as 'Shravan' is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar, is one of the holiest months of the year.
Every Monday during this period is regarded as a highly auspicious time to fast and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
The month of 'Sawan' started in the country on July 22.