India, July 7 -- T he excitement around this year's Kanwar Yatra is loud and clear - quite literally. DJs fuelling the pilgrimage with thumping beats are seeing their bookings skyrocket. "Iss baar demand zyaada badh gayi hai, so we had to raise our rates," says Ravi from Haryana-based Ravi DJ, adding, "Compared to last year, our charges have gone up by Rs.30,000-50,000. A DJ set-up that we booked for Rs.1.5 lakh last year is now going for Rs.2 lakh - and even then, we're almost fully booked." Mohit Gurjar of Raavan DJ in UP echoes the sentiment: "This season, our set-ups are priced at around Rs.2.15 lakh. But people want custom rigs, tall speakers, personalised lighting, the works." Newcomer groups are driving much of the boom, says Krishna Kumar of Krishna DJ in Ghaziabad: "We're getting calls from first-time kanwariya groups asking for customised speaker vehicles and DJ lights. It's great for us, our profit margins are up. Last year, we earned about Rs.7-8 lakh during the Yatra season. This year, we've already earned Rs.5 lakh in pre-bookings alone, and bookings are still coming." A big factor behind the surge is the influx of first-time participants, especially young devotees eager to make the Yatra a high-energy affair with bigger budgets. For many Kanwar groups, sticking to a budget has taken a backseat to keeping up with the newcomers. "The Maha Kumbh this year has sparked a new wave of spiritual enthusiasm, especially among youngsters," says Ram Vardhan of the Shiva Kanwar Group in Faridabad. He adds, "We've overshot our budget by nearly Rs.40,000 because everyone's so charged up. We spent a lot on getting grand DJ set-ups to match the energy of the new participants and make the journey memorable." For some, the inspiration was personal. "After attending the Maha Kumbh, I planned my work schedule way in advance so I could join the Kanwar Yatra," he adds. "That experience motivated me, and I'm excited that this time it will be something completely different." Easier route diversions have also played a part in drawing more first-timers. Arun Verma, a regular kanwariya, has noticed the change: "This year, so many people who've never done the Yatra before are reaching out to me for tips. The biggest fear is accidents on busy highways. But now, the routes have been improved with better diversions for pedestrians. For example, while crossing Roorkee, there's a special underpass so we don't have to walk alongside heavy traffic. That's given a lot of people confidence to join in."...