India News: Devotees Flood Temples On Sawan Somwar, Kawariyas Clash Over Dhaba Owner’s Religion, Violence In Ghaziabad

On the first Monday of Sawan, devotion and chaos played parallel roles across India. Devotees in massive numbers thronged temples and Shiva shrines, especially at Jharkhand’s Baidyanath Dham and Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri. Worshippers, some having traveled hundreds of kilometers, stood in long queues from the break of dawn for Jalabhishek rituals. Security arrangements were tight across pilgrimage centers to manage the swelling crowds.Meanwhile, a communal flare-up was reported in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar where Kawariyas confronted a dhaba owner after learning that he was a Muslim, demanding that his real name be displayed on the signboard. Though there was heated argument, no violence occurred. This controversy revives the state’s previous efforts to mandate name displays at eateries to indicate owners' identities — a policy challenged after court interventions.Additionally, in Ghaziabad, a minor accident escalated when a car allegedly hit a Kawariya’s pot, breaking it. Enraged devotees vandalized the car with sticks and rods, shattering its windows. Police intervened, taking the driver into custody and seizing the vehicle.These incidents reflect the high religious fervor during the holy month of Sawan but also underscore emerging tensions linked to identity and faith, demanding sensitive administrative handling.

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