Kawad (Kanwar) Yatra 2027: Start, End & Jal Date

Kawad (Kanwar) Yatra 2027: Start and End Date

Kawad Yatra 2027 begins on Monday, July 19, 2027, the first day of Sawan, and ends on Sawan Shivratri, Saturday, July 31, 2027. This page also gives the jal date, the 2028–2031 schedule and planning tips.

Kawad Yatra 2027 starts in: In 263 days

Kawad Yatra Start and End Dates, 2026–2031

Year	Start (first day of Sawan)	End (Sawan Shivratri)	Length
2026	Thursday, July 30	Tuesday, August 11	13 days
2027	Monday, July 19	Saturday, July 31	13 days
2028	Friday, July 7	Thursday, July 20	14 days
2029	Thursday, July 26	Wednesday, August 8	14 days
2030	Monday, July 15	Sunday, July 28	14 days
2031	Saturday, July 5	Thursday, July 17	13 days

The 2026 yatra, which ran from July 30 to August 11, is complete. End dates follow the lunar day that prevails at midnight on Sawan Shivratri. Some local panchangs shift a date by one day, so confirm with your temple or district notice before you travel.

When Does Kawad Yatra 2027 End?

Kawad Yatra 2027 ends on Sawan Shivratri, Saturday, July 31, 2027. Sawan Shivratri is the Krishna Chaturdashi of the month of Sawan, the 14th lunar day of the waning moon, just before the new moon. That tithi begins late on the night of July 31 and runs through the evening of August 1. The jal offering therefore falls on the night of July 31 or on the morning of August 1, depending on the local panchang. Counting both days, the 2027 yatra lasts 13 or 14 days.

Kawad Jal Date 2027: When to Offer the Ganga Jal

The kawad jal date for 2027 is Sawan Shivratri, July 31 to August 1, 2027. On this day kanwariyas pour the Ganga water they carried onto a Shiva lingam, either at a neighbourhood temple or at a major shrine such as Pura Mahadeva. Most pilgrims reach the temple the day before, so the water stays sealed in the kanwar pots until the abhishek. Tradition holds that the kanwar must not touch the ground before the offering, so volunteer groups build raised kanwar stands along the routes. Dak kanwariyas, who run in relay without stopping, time their arrival for Shivratri.

Full Kawad Yatra Schedule to 2035

The table below lists the first day of the yatra through 2035, with the weekday, the ISO week number and the days left.

For other July observances, open the July 2027 India calendar.

What Is Kawad Yatra? Meaning, Spelling and Traditions

Kawad Yatra (कांवड़ यात्रा), also written Kanwar Yatra, is an annual Hindu pilgrimage in which devotees of Shiva, called kanwariyas, carry Ganga water to Shiva temples during the month of Sawan. The name comes from the kanwar, a bamboo pole with a pot or load tied at each end, carried on the shoulders. Because the word is transliterated from Hindi, you will see Kawad, Kavad, Kanwar, Kanwad and Kawar Yatra used interchangeably. They describe the same pilgrimage, so the dates on this page apply to every spelling.

Pilgrims collect holy water at Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and at Sultanganj in Bihar, then walk, often barefoot, to a Shiva temple near home or to a famous shrine. Water from Sultanganj travels to Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand, a route that Wikipedia’s Kanwar Yatra article traces back to the 1700s. Devotees from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bihar form the largest groups.

Types of Kanwar Yatra

Pilgrims travel in several styles. Walking kanwariyas cover the distance at their own pace and rest at roadside camps. Dak kanwariyas run in relay so the kanwar reaches the temple without pause, usually on Shivratri. Some groups travel by vehicle and walk only the final stretch. Every style follows the same rule: the Ganga water must reach the Shiva temple in time for the Shivratri abhishek.

Customs and Rules During the Yatra

Kanwariyas usually wear saffron, travel barefoot and chant “Bol Bam” as they walk. Many keep a vegetarian diet and avoid intoxicants for the duration. The kanwar is treated as sacred: it is carried at shoulder height and rested only on a stand or hook, never on the ground. In some groups a pilgrim who sets it down by mistake must refill or purify it, according to local custom. Volunteer groups run free camps along the routes that offer food, water, medical aid and rest.

Legends Behind the Yatra

Tradition links the yatra to the churning of the ocean, Samudra Manthan, when Shiva swallowed the poison that emerged and the gods poured Ganga water over him. One tradition names Parashurama as the first pilgrim to carry Ganga water to the Shiva temple at Pura Mahadeva. Another credits Rama with offering Ganga water to a Shiva lingam. The mass pilgrimage seen today is much more recent: reports describe the yatra as a small affair before the 1990s.

How Sawan Dates Are Calculated

Kawad Yatra follows the lunar Hindu calendar, so its Gregorian date changes every year. North India uses the Purnimanta system, in which Sawan starts the day after the full moon of Ashadha, known as Guru Purnima, and the yatra begins on that first day. Sawan Shivratri falls about 13 days later, on the Krishna Chaturdashi tithi.

A lunar year is roughly 11 days shorter than a solar year, so the yatra moves about 11 days earlier each year: July 30 in 2026, July 19 in 2027 and July 7 in 2028. Every two to three years the calendar adds an extra lunar month, called adhik maas, and the date jumps about 19 days later. That is why 2029 starts on July 26. States that follow the Amanta system, such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, count Sawan from the new moon, so their Sawan begins about two weeks later than the northern one.

Planning Around Kawad Yatra 2027

Kawad Yatra 2027 Timeline

The 13-day window from July 19 to July 31, 2027 has a predictable rhythm. In the first days, pilgrims travel to Haridwar, Gaumukh or Sultanganj and fill their kanwar pots. Roads fill steadily as groups start the walk home. Two Mondays fall inside the window, July 19 and July 26, which many devotees observe as Sawan Somvar fasts with temple visits. The final three or four days before Shivratri bring the largest crowds and the strictest traffic controls, as walkers, dak kanwariyas and support vehicles share the same roads. After the Shivratri abhishek, groups disperse and routes reopen.

Roads and Travel

Millions of pilgrims walk along highways in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. In past years authorities have closed or diverted traffic on routes such as the Delhi–Meerut Expressway. Use these checks before you travel in July 2027:

1. Read district police and traffic advisories two to three days ahead, because diversions are announced locally.
2. Avoid road trips through Haridwar, western Uttar Pradesh and the Delhi–Meerut corridor in the last days before Shivratri, when crowds usually peak.
3. Book trains and hotels in Haridwar and Rishikesh early, since demand rises sharply.
4. Add extra time for deliveries, commutes and school runs in affected towns.

Is Kawad Yatra a Public Holiday?

No. Kawad Yatra is a religious observance, not a national public holiday. District administrations in affected areas have sometimes closed schools for a few days, but these orders come from local officials shortly before the yatra. Check with your school, employer or municipality rather than relying on a fixed date.

Holidays & Celebrations in the Next Days

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Frequently Asked Questions about Kawad Yatra 2027

Q: When does Kawad Yatra 2027 start?
A: Kawad Yatra 2027 starts on Monday, July 19, 2027, the first day of Sawan in the northern Purnimanta calendar. Pilgrims begin collecting Ganga water from that day.

Q: When does Kawad Yatra 2027 end?
A: It ends on Sawan Shivratri, Saturday, July 31, 2027. The Chaturdashi tithi continues until the evening of August 1, so some temples hold the jal offering that morning.

Q: What is the kawad jal date in 2027?
A: The kawad jal date is Sawan Shivratri, July 31 to August 1, 2027, when kanwariyas pour Ganga water on Shiva lingams. Check local temple timings for the exact abhishek slot.

Q: 2027 mein Kawad Yatra kab hai?
A: 2027 mein Kawad Yatra 19 July se shuru hoti hai aur Sawan Shivratri par 31 July ko poori hoti hai. In English: it starts July 19 and ends July 31.

Q: Are Kawad, Kanwar and Kavad Yatra the same?
A: Yes. They are different spellings of the same Shiva pilgrimage, so one set of dates applies to all. Kawad and Kavad reflect regional pronunciation of the Hindi word.

Q: How many days does Kanwar Yatra last?
A: Kanwar Yatra lasts 13 or 14 days, from the first day of Sawan to Sawan Shivratri. The 2027 edition counts 13 days from July 19 to July 31.

Q: Is Kanwar Yatra a public holiday in India?
A: No. It is a religious observance, not a national public holiday. Local officials may close schools or divert traffic, and they announce this shortly before the yatra.

Q: When is Kawad Yatra 2028?
A: Kawad Yatra 2028 starts on Friday, July 7, 2028, and ends on Thursday, July 20, 2028, which is Sawan Shivratri.

Q: When did Kanwar Yatra 2026 end?
A: It ended on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Sawan Shivratri, after beginning on Thursday, July 30, 2026.