New Delhi, July 28 -- Let me share three snapshots from one of North India's biggest pilgrimages.

Scene 1: Place: Modinagar, district: Ghaziabad

The Kanwar procession halted, with hundreds of devotees clapping and surrounding a woman and her physically challenged husband chanting "Har Har Mahadev". The reason? This villager, Asha Devi, was undertaking Kanwar pilgrimage carrying her husband on her back. She believed it would not only cure him of his disability but also result in his employment.

Scene 2: Place: Lachhiwala in Dehradun. A large contingent of Kanwariyas is resting. Powerful boom speakers are playing devotional songs inspired by Bollywood music. Suddenly a large elephant charges towards them. Utter pandemonium ensues. After ...