Veteran singer Anuradha Paudwal has strongly reacted to a viral video showing obscene dance performances during the Kanwar Yatra. The video, which surfaced on social media a few days back, reportedly features a group of dancers from Basti district in Uttar Pradesh returning from Ayodhya with holy water.
What has caught public attention and sparked outrage is the presence of dancers performing on a moving truck, accompanied by loud music, as devotees joined in by dancing to the beats.
Anuradha Paudwal, known for her devotional songs and deep association with religious music, took to social media to condemn the incident. Criticising the spiritual procession turning into spectacles of vulgarity, she commented under one of the viral videos, "Yeh nonsense bandh karo please (Please stop this nonsense)."
Netizens debate over viral dance video
While the Kanwar Yatra has traditionally been a deeply spiritual pilgrimage undertaken by Lord Shiva's devotees, recent years have seen a rise in DJs, flashy displays, and now, controversial dance performances.
Several social media users have also expressed strong disapproval over the viral video. Sharing the video on X, some called the dance 'obscene' and 'vulgar'. A user wrote, "This is the true form of Kanwar, full of fun, devotees of Yogi Ji. Did Bhole Shankar also set up such a stage in his court? Are these dancing girls from Shankar Ji's court?"
"In the name of religion, a shameless spectacle is being staged . Under the guise of the Kanwar Yatra, innocent children and youth are being turned into addicts, their futures ruined, and they are being made into hooligans, pushed toward crime. This is all being done by petty political and religious organizations so that they can continue to reap benefits," wrote another user.
However, a section of social media users defended the devotees, questioning why they shouldn't be allowed to express their devotion and excitement - even through dance.
"Bahut badhiya, kya kawanriya leke janewale ko itna manoranjan karne ka haq nahni hai? Khali phool barsa do , hogaya? Bhai Hindurastra hai, aur yeh log sanatan dharm ko aage leke ja rahe hain. Jin logon ko pasand nahi hai woh log sanatan virodhi hai," commented a supporter.
What is Kanwar Yatra?
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual Hindu pilgrimage in which devotees of Lord Shiva, known as Kanwariyas, travel on foot to collect holy water from the Ganges River, usually from places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, or Sultanganj.
They carry the water in decorated pots hung on a bamboo pole, called a 'kanwar,' and offer it at Shiva temples, especially on Shivratri or during the month of Sawan.
