Visakhapatnam, August 12, 2013: The day began quite early for Marwaris who came together to participate in ‘Kavad Yatra’ in the month of Sravan on Sunday.

Draping bright coloured saris and holding the sacred stick tied with saffron coloured fabric and pots of water fetched from Madhavadhara waterfalls and chanting ‘bol bam’, members of Marwari Yuva Manch began their yatra at Madhavadhara Siva temple and reached Siva temple at Pandurangapuram passing through Murali Nagar, Thatichetlapalem, Railway New Colony, Diamond Park Road, RTC Complex, Sampath Vinayagar Temple Road and Siripuram Junction.

Other communities like Odiyas, Biharis and some Andhra people also participated in the three-hour procession swaying merrily to the tunes of devotional hymns. After reaching the destination, the devotees performed special abhishekam with the holy water carried on the kavad. The preparation for the yatra started last night itself, said Naresh Agarwal of the manch.

“We have been celebrating Kavad Yatra in the city for the last 10 years. It is an annual event where we offer special puja to Lord Siva with holy water and pray for world peace. This year, we prayed for the unity of the State and to bring down the floods and other natural calamities that affect mankind,” he explained.

Source: The Hindu, DT. August 12, 2013.