ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the history of the two pilgrimage centres, Vaidyanath and Sultanganj, and then move on to the development of the pilgrimage. The emergence of Kanwariyas in Haridwar, Delhi and Varanasi has led to the perception that the Kanwar Yatra is a new phenomenon, possibly linked to the rise of Hindu nationalistic politics. The history of the Kanwar pilgrimage in Bihar, Jharkhand and the eastern Terai of Nepal, is largely unwritten, but the few fragments of evidence that are available suggest links to critical events and historical forces that have shaped local social, economic and political life. With the decline of the zamindars and their patronage after Independence, the administration of temples and large scale pilgrimage became the responsibility of state governments in India. The pilgrimage is an event of utmost concern to local officials, who as employees are accountable to the state.
