Unholy horrors

Arguments made by some of those who question the contempt for these 'devout' young men in the city seem persuasive

If you live in North India, it is the time of year when hordes of young men paint the town saffron. I’m referring to the devotees of Shiva who undertake the kanwar yatra, a month-long pilgrimage during shravan (mid-July to mid-August) to bring holy water from the Ganga to their local shrines.

With every passing year, their numbers have become bigger and they have earned a growing reputation of being troublemakers. It is hard to deny the sense that the kanwariyas are taking over public spaces, running riot and doing as they please, thanks to a seemingly indulgent administration.

For