Record 4.8 crore Kanwariyas visit Haridwar during the 2026 pilgrimage

Haridwar witnessed its largest-ever Kanwar gathering this year, with a record 4.8 crore devotees arriving in the holy city during the 14-day Shravan Kanwar pilgrimage, officials said on Tuesday.

The annual pilgrimage, which began on July 30, concluded on Tuesday on the occasion of Sawan Shivratri. The turnout surpassed all previous records and placed considerable pressure on the administration, police and civic infrastructure as millions of pilgrims travelled through the city to collect holy water from the Ganga.

Footfall surpasses previous records

According to figures compiled by the Kanwar Mela Cell, around 4.52 crore devotees participated in the pilgrimage in 2025. The number stood at 4.14 crore in 2024 and 4.07 crore in 2023.

Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar said around 4.8 crore Kanwariyas had arrived from different parts of the country this year. With pilgrims continuing to enter Haridwar on Tuesday afternoon, officials indicated that the final count could rise further.

The closing phase of the pilgrimage saw an especially sharp increase in arrivals. Around 63.6 lakh devotees reached Haridwar on Monday alone to collect Ganga water before beginning their journeys back to their towns and villages.

The holy water carried by the Kanwariyas is traditionally offered to Shiva lingams on Sawan Shivratri as part of the annual religious observance.

Massive security deployment

Managing the unprecedented gathering posed a major logistical challenge for authorities, particularly during the final days when several million pilgrims moved through Haridwar and adjoining areas.

More than 6,000 Uttarakhand Police personnel were deployed for the Kanwar Mela. They were supported by personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces, Provincial Armed Constabulary, Indian Reserve Battalion and Anti-Terrorist Squad, among other security units.

Authorities also had to manage traffic, parking, sanitation, healthcare and crowd movement across the pilgrimage routes as the number of Kanwariyas increased towards the end of the yatra.

Earlier, officials had prepared for a turnout approaching five crore pilgrims. During the final phase, Har Ki Pauri, Ganga ghats and major routes around Haridwar witnessed particularly heavy crowds.

Officials mark conclusion of Kanwar Mela

Following the conclusion of the fair, Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit and SSP Bhullar joined members of the saint community in performing rituals at Brahmakund at Har Ki Pauri.

They collected Ganga water and later offered it at the ancient Shri Daksheshwar Mahadev temple in Kankhal to mark Sawan Shivratri.

Representatives of religious organisations also felicitated officials involved in organising the Kanwar Mela.

Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam said managing nearly five crore pilgrims over a period of just two weeks required extensive infrastructure, resources, planning and coordination. He said the experience gained during the Kanwar Mela could help authorities prepare for the Ardh Kumbh scheduled to be held in Haridwar next year.

Dhami hails successful pilgrimage

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked the devotees and all those involved in managing the pilgrimage, describing the gathering as a major demonstration of faith.

Dhami said nearly five crore Shiva devotees visited Haridwar during this year's Kanwar Yatra and praised the administration, police, health and disaster management departments, sanitation workers, voluntary groups, religious organisations and local residents for their contribution.

The Chief Minister said the scale of participation reflected the devotees' faith in Lord Shiva as well as their trust in Uttarakhand's tradition of hospitality.

With the record-breaking Kanwar Yatra now concluded, officials said the experience of handling such a large gathering would provide important lessons for preparations ahead of the 2027 Ardh Kumbh.