Kalash Yatra: Why Is It Celebrated and Why Is It In News?

The Kalash literally means a metal pot that has a large base and a small mouth that is large enough to hold a coconut. This pot, made of brass, copper, silver or gold holds an important place in various Indian religions and their festivals. It is filled with water and topped with a coconut and mango leaves during celebrations. This combination is commonly seen in Hindu rites and is also depicted in Hindu iconography. The entire arrangement is called a purna kalash.

What is Kalash Yatra and why is it celebrated?

In a Kalash Yatra, we find devotees, mostly women, moving together in large numbers to offer prayers. They carry a purna kalash on their heads and march towards the temple to seek the blessings of the almighty. In many places in our country, including Surat, women perform this ritual to mark the festival of Navratri. On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, women in Jammu participate in this festival.

In 2018, the APMCC, an organisation that represents displaced Kashmiri Hindus performed a similar procession to the banks of the Kishenganga river in Teetwal village of Kashmir. The purpose behind peforming this yatra was to pray for the reopening of the Sharda temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Why is it in news?

On Tuesday, thousands of women gathered for the ceremony in Navapura village in Sanand, Ahmedabad. They flouted all COVID-19 protocols as they headed towards the Baliyadev temple to offer their prayers. They had no masks on and did not maintain the social distancing norms. This event took place despite the fact that the Gujarat government has imposed a mini lockdown in the state till May 12. KT Kamaria, the deputy superintendent of police, Ahmedabad Rural said that action has been taken against 23 people including the Sarpanch of the village.

Women gathered in large numbers yesterday at Navapura village in Sanand, Ahmedabad district to offer prayers at the Baliyadev temple.
Action taken against 23 people including the Sarpanch of the village, says KT Kamaria, deputy superintendent of police, Ahmedabad Rural. (ANI) pic.twitter.com/ToIWETlCqP

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 5, 2021

In Sep 2020, a similar incident took place in Indore, Madhya Pradesh when the BJP organised a Kalash Yatra in support of State Minister Tulsi Silawat. Thousands of devotees participated in the procession disregarding all the rules laid down by the government to curtail the spread of Coronavirus.

#WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Social distancing norms flouted during a procession (Kalash Yatra) organised by BJP in support of State Minister Tulsi Silawat in Indore yesterday. (08.09.2020)

Tulsi Silawat is contesting from the Sanwer constituency in the upcoming State Assembly by-poll pic.twitter.com/xONn7wzaJY

— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2020

Image source: ANI (Twitter)