I have been living in Delhi NCR for more than 20 years.
In the mid-2000s, we used to see Kanwariyas walking on the roads of Delhi. They walked quietly on the side of the road and did not disturb anyone. At most, there were separate walking areas for them, with volunteers guiding them.
There were no loud DJs, no mini-trucks with people waving baseball bats, no fancy lights, no running on the roads, no highways reserved for Kanwariyas, and no flower showers from helicopters.
Back in my hometown, Bareilly, I had never even heard of this during my childhood. These things simply did not exist.
Cut to 2026. Now, Kanwariyas seem to get the highest priority on the roads of North India during these 15 days of Sawan. An office-goer paying taxes or a patient in an ambulance fighting for their life does not seem to get the same importance.
You have to change your travel plans. Schools are shut, offices ask people to work from home, and businesses lose customers. All this happens to accommodate people on the roads for these 15 days.
They seem to feel like the kings of the roads. They can argue with police officers, damage cars, and do whatever they want.
Unless ordinary people who suffer because of this government-supported event every year start raising their voices, nothing is going to change.