During the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage, the historic Shiv Chowk square in Muzaffarnagar transformed into a unique blend of faith, art, and spectacle. Pilgrim Hariom Chingari from Asora village in the Hapur area arrived with his grand thematic kanwar. Thousands of devotees gathered late into the night to witness the Ballanath procession, the Aghori dance, the Shivgan scene, and the performance of fire artists. The entire atmosphere of Shiv Chowk was imbued with religious tones.
A large number of pilgrims headed to Shiv Chowk square to view Hariom Chingari's thematic kanwar. This installation vividly depicted the fierce and Aghori aspect of Lord Shiva, including the Ballanath procession, Aghoris, spirits, and ghosts, which attracted public attention. Devotees watched the entire scene with great interest, constantly recording videos and photos on their mobile phones.
The performance was accompanied by the sound of the damaru, the ringing of gongs, special lighting, and artificial smoke. Artists dressed in garlands of human skulls presented the Aghori dance. During this time, the entire Shiv Chowk square resonated with shouts of 'Har Har Mahadeva' and 'Bol Bam.' The religious ambiance and the artists' performances kept attendees engaged for a long time.
Another highlight of this thematic kanwar was the performance of the fire artists. As soon as the artists began projecting tongues of flame into the air, the attending devotees greeted them with applause and cheers of support. People of all ages, from children to the elderly, were mesmerized by this spectacle. Many pilgrims continued to capture this memorable scene on their mobile phone cameras to preserve this momentous occasion.
Hariom Chingari's team prepares thematic kanwars annually, based on various religious narratives. This time, their team focused its installation around the Ballanath procession and the Aghori tradition. Preparing this performance took several weeks of diligent work. After creating special costumes, setting up the stage, lighting, and constant rehearsals by the artists, the installation was completed.
Pilgrim and artist Hariom Chingari stated that his name is Hariom Chingari and he is from Hapur. His kanwar came from Asora village, located near Hapur. He mentioned that his entire team are devotees of Baba Ballanath and create religious installations in a new style every year. Hariom Chingari emphasized that in this kanwar, he depicted the visit of the Aghori along with Ballanath at the cemetery. He added that his team tried to embody this image with complete devotion and dedication. He also stated that he himself is a devotee of Baba Ballanath and worships various forms of him. That is why he chose the fierce appearance of Ballanath and the Aghori tradition as the theme of his kanwar. He concluded that all this was possible due to the grace of Baba Ballanath.
The team prepares installations on different religious themes every year.
Until late at night, the crowd of devotees remained in Shiv Chowk square. People closely examined different parts of the installation and highly appreciated the artists' performances. The Ballanath procession, the Aghori dance, the Shivgan scene, the sound of the damaru, the ringing of gongs, artificial smoke, and the fire artists' performances made the entire atmosphere religious and captivating. This thematic kanwar became a topic of discussion among pilgrims in Shiv Chowk square during the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage.
