The Samvaad Peacebuilding program team from Meerut Seva Samaj played a crucial role in engaging with the Kanwar Yatra pilgrims during their journey to the sacred Hindu shrines. The Kanwar Yatra is a significant pilgrimage undertaken by devotees of Lord Shiva, during the Hindu month of Shravan (Saawan), which usually falls in the months of July or August. This pilgrimage is especially popular in northern Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Jharkhand, attracting millions of devotees each year.

The team from Meerut Seva Samaj, as a partner of Caritas India’s Samvaad programme, provided support and care to the Kanwar pilgrims as they travelled to the holy temple. Many of these pilgrims walk barefoot for long distances or use bicycles and motorcycles to reach their destinations. Due to the strenuous nature of the journey, accidents and injuries are common, which require immediate medical attention. The Meerut Seva Samaj team provided first aid services to address these injuries, ensuring the well-being and safety of the pilgrims throughout their journey.

In addition to medical assistance, the team also served the devotees with fruits. This gesture of providing nourishment, helped the pilgrims gain strength to carry on the arduous pilgrimage. It also symbolized a gesture of harmony and unity, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and understanding among people from different backgrounds and beliefs.
By addressing the medical needs and providing sustenance, the team enabled the pilgrims to complete their religious observances comfortably. Such initiatives foster a spirit of inclusivity, compassion, and goodwill, promoting peaceful coexistence among different communities and strengthening social bonds.

The idea behind this supporting Kanwar pilgrims is not only to ease their journey but also to set the feeling of mutual harmony and communicate the message of peace.

The support was not limited to providing assistance but also to raising discourse and promoting the message of peace and harmony through handbills and other IEC materials. Samvaad Peace Building and Reconciliation program is in continuous dialogue with the different groups of people who are the key stakeholders of the program as well as the government agencies responsible for maintaining law and order.

Meerut Seva Samaj served the pilgrims in Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur districts. Providing services and support to pilgrims is seen as a valuable contribution to their well-being during their journey. This was done by offering health services to ensure that pilgrims have access to medical assistance if needed.

The local administration acknowledged and supported the initiatives of Team Samvaad. Their efforts in setting up the Camp for health services, bhandaras (community kitchen), and promoting peace were recognized and appreciated. This recognition from the local administration highlights the significance of their contributions and the positive impact they had on the Kanwar Yatra Sewa Shivir.

Through these various camps and initiatives, Team Samvaad and its peace volunteers actively participated in the Kanwar Yatra Sewa Shivir, contributing to the well-being and overall experience of the Kanwar Yatris while promoting peace and harmony.

The Sewa Shivir set by team Samvaad during the Kanwar Yatra served as a powerful platform for promoting unity, social harmony, and peace in society. This initiative brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, transcending differences, and working towards a common goal. By providing basic healthcare services and nourishment to the Kanwar Yatris, Team Samvaad showcased the spirit of compassion and solidarity. People from various walks of life joined hands, putting aside their differences, to contribute towards the well-being of others. This collective effort not only catered to the immediate needs of the Yatris but also conveyed a strong message of unity and social responsibility.

The strong message of unity, social harmony, and peace that emanated from setting up the Camp will have a ripple effect on society. It inspired others to follow suit and engage in similar acts of service and compassion. By demonstrating the power of collective action and promoting a culture of harmony, these initiatives from Samvaad Programme of Caritas India contributed to the overall well-being and development of the community, fostering a more peaceful and inclusive society. More than two lakh pilgrims were reached through the services of the camp in twelve days in six locations of Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur districts with a local contribution of around five lakhs.