During the month of Sravan from late July to early August, which coincides with the monsoon, over a million pilgrims arrive at Haridwar and Rishikesh. These Kavar, as they are called, collect vessels of Gangajal and carry them to a Shiv temple at Neelkanth or Garh Mukteshwar, over a hundred kilometers downstream or to Shiva temple of they’re faith. Some of the more ambitious Kavar walk all the way from Gaumukh Glacier above Gangotri, an added distance of three hundred kilometers or from Dev Prayag (70 km. from Rishikesh), the confluence of River Alaknanda & Bhagirathi. Traveling on foot, the Kavar transport their bottles of Gangajal in a pair of wicker baskets, suspended from a bamboo yoke that rests upon their shoulders. The water is never allowed to touch the ground and the pilgrims travel for weeks, stopping at roadside shelters erected by pious benefactors along their route. Ultimately, when the Kavar reach their destination, the Gangajal is presented as an offering to Shiv, a rite of worship that reenacts the myth of Ganga's descent to earth.

In last 15 years this pilgrimage has become so popular that most of the highway between Haridwar and Delhi is closed for several weeks to allow the Kavar to complete their journey. Walking together, like an army on the march, they form a human river, carrying the sacred water on their shoulders. These pilgrims, who abandon their fields, their jobs, or their business and leave behind the comforts of home to perform a ritual that runs parallel to the natural course of the Ganga, as it flows out of the mountains and across the land. The Kavar form colorful procession, their baskets decorated with gold and silver tinsel, saffron scarves, garlands of marigolds, framed pictures of Shiv, Hanuman and God of their faith. Many of them walk barefoot, a seemingly endless line of men and women stretching along the side of the highway, exhausted faces staring straight ahead, some of them hobbling with canes. Pale pink elastic bandages are wrapped around knees or ankles, evidence of pain and exertion, their skin glistering with sweat in the muggy sunlight. The Kavar seem to single –minded, a relentless determination in their stride.

"Har Har Mahadev" "Barn Barn Bholey" "Jai Bholey" –
- They chant in unison, another name of Shiv.

In their numbers, the Kavar seem unstoppable, like the swollen current of the Ganga itself. Their devotion reflects an unquestioning faith in God and a uniformity of belief. The ritual itself is innocent enough, carrying water from a river to a temple, but the symbolic force of all these men and women walking together gives the impression of a parade, a collective demonstration of power. It is impossible to ignore connections between the threatening floodwaters of Hindu chauvinism and this annual march of the Kavar, a crowd of celebrants herded together by an exclusive current of beliefs. Most of the tour operators cancel their bookings and suggest their clients to avoid visiting Haridwar, Rishikesh and Char Dham during these period, as Delhi-Rishikesh National Highway is also closed.