At 62, this Kanwaria from Cuttack walks 40 km to offer water to Lord Shiva

Age is just a number for an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva from Cuttack. Beating old age, the 62-year-old Kanwaria from Bayalish Mauja area in the district started his journey by lifting water from Ganesh Ghat. He covered a distance of around 40 km by walking to offer water to Lord Shiva at Lord Kapileswar temple in Bhubaneswar.

“With Lord Shiva’s blessings, I never felt myself as an old man. With his wish, I am offering water to him on ‘Shrabana Somabara’ every year and I will continue to do it as long as my body permits. I have no desire behind the penance. I have completely surrendered before Lord Shiva. The Lord only knows what is best for me and I am fully confident that He will take the best care of me,” said the Kanwaria.

The Kanwaria, who is a shopkeeper by profession, started offering water to Lord Shiva in 1976 and since then he has been continuing the ritual. He has offered water to Lord Shiva in almost all the famous shrines across Odisha. Moreover, he has also offered water in some Shiva shrines in neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and Bihar.

“I was suffering from fever in 1976. However, I got an inspiration from the Lord to offer Him water as a Kanwaria. I told my father about my wish. He didn’t allow me as I was down with fever. However, the fever subsided strangely and I started my first journey as a Kanwaria to offer water to Lord Shiva. Since then, I have never looked back with his blessings on my side always,” said the ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.