Kanwar Yatra 2026: Dates, Routes & The Rudraksha Connection
Kanwar Yatra 2026 runs from 30 July to 12 August (Sawan's first fortnight, ending on Sawan Shivratri, 11–12 August), when lakhs of kanwariyas carry Ganga jal on foot from Haridwar, Gaumukh and Sultanganj to offer at Shiva temples in their home towns.
Key dates
- 30 July 2026 — Sawan and Kanwar Yatra begin
- 3 & 10 August — Sawan Somvar 1 & 2 (heaviest yatra footfall)
- 11 August 2026 — Sawan Shivratri: the jalabhishek deadline most kanwariyas walk for
The classic routes
- Haridwar → Delhi/West UP — the busiest corridor (NH58/Meerut–Muzaffarnagar belt)
- Gaumukh/Gangotri → Rishikesh–Haridwar — the high-Himalayan start
- Sultanganj → Deoghar (Baba Baidyanath) — the 105 km Bihar–Jharkhand yatra
Kanwariyas and Rudraksha
Rudraksha is the yatra's constant companion — kanwariyas traditionally wear Rudraksha malas through the walk as Shiva's own bead, and many begin a new Rudraksha at the yatra's end, after jalabhishek on Shivratri. If that is your plan, our Sawan 2026 guide covers the wearing vidhi, and every prepaid GemsMantra order this season ships already energised through the Sawan Somvar group Rudrabhishek.
Ordering during the Yatra — honest delivery note
Roads on the Delhi–Haridwar–West UP corridor close or divert during the yatra fortnight. If your pincode sits on a kanwar route, expect 1–3 extra days on deliveries between 30 July and 12 August. We pre-position stock with our courier partners before the yatra begins, but road closures are beyond anyone's control — ordering before 28 July is the safe move for Somvar-1 wear.
Travel safe. This page is informational; dates follow the 2026 panchang and district administrations may adjust local routes.
