India, Aug. 14 -- Kanwar Yatra, the ancient arduous religious trek to offer Gangajal to Lord Shiva, used to be a non-descript, small affair till the beginning of the 1990s. Thirty-odd years on, there is a sea change--the number of pilgrims is swelling by the year. For instance, the number of kanwariyas entering Meerut district alone has increased by 250% in just one decade, says data. Needless to state, apart from devotion, it is also the increasing assertion of Hindutva politics that draws more and more people to the annual pilgrimage.

So, the once bustling roads now serve as sacred pathways for kanwariyas, with traffic diversions and school closures becoming routine. The UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is restricting its o...