Kaunwar Yatra
In the cyclic Hindu calendar Kaunwar Yatra governed by rainfall occurs twice in the modern year. The first and more widely known is when the monsoon season sets in and second one is scheduled when the summer season begins. In terms of participation of people, the first season gathers more followers. I thought that gradually kaunwar yatra would decline and fade away but opposite is the experience. Kaunwar yatra is not an useful, productive activity. It cannot be grasped and understood in functional terms. Rise of instrumental reasoning and materially rewarding activity would diminish its appeal fueled the expectation of its decline? Unlike most hunches and vague expectations kaunwar yatra warrants attention and seeks more exploration. What could be so meaningful and expressive for participants in the kaunwar yarta that over the years it is attracting more and more people--especially the youth? How is routine, ceremonial, symbolic and significant related and articulated in Hin...