Patna, Jul 24 (PTI) Phul Chand has set off again on Kanwar Yatra, something he has been doing all but two years since 2013, as a thanksgiving to Lord Shiva for fulfilling his wish of becoming a father and also to keep his promise that he will embark on the annual spiritual journey till his death.Hailing from Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, the father of two is currently undertaking the arduous march barefoot from Bihar"s Sultanganj to Jharkhand"s Deoghar, where he will offer Ganga jal to the residing deity of the temple town -- Lord Shiva, or as addressed with reverence as Baba Baidyanath and seek his blessings.The act of offering the holy water which Chand had drawn on Thursday evening from the ghats of Uttarvahini Ganga in Sultanganj -- abode of Baba Ajgaibinath -- where an old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva sits atop a towering and picturesque pile of ancient rocks in the middle of the river, will culminate his journey and a promise made to the divinity.Every year, several thousands of devotees of Lord Shiva, drawn from across the country and even abroad, in the auspicious month of Shravan or Sawan (corresponding to July-August), carry Ganga water and walk through natural terrain for nearly 110 km from Sultanganj to Baba Baidyanath Dham, for the "jalabhishek", driven by immeasurable faith and an indomitable spirit to complete the yatra.Chand, in his mid-30s now, has been undertaking this pious but difficult journey year after year since 2013 barring a two-year hiatus when the COVID-19 pandemic had ravaged the world, and India was one of the worst-hit countries, leading to blanket closure of holy shrines and worship places and multiple lockdowns by authorities to contain the infection."People in my village in Singrauli, had been going for Kanwar Yatra for many years. I was told Lord Shiva grants wishes of devotees after being pleased with completion of yatra ("Baba mannat puri karte hain, is yatra se khush hoke"). I was married in 2005 and for a long time, we wanted a child but weren"t able to beget. So, I undertook my first yatra in 2013 and the very next year, we were blessed with a daughter," Chand, who works as a supervisor in an aluminium manufacturing company, told PTI.He said a few years later, he fathered a son too."So, as a thanksgiving to Lord Shiva, I have been doing the yatra year after year, and till there is strength left in my body, till the end of my life, I will perform this annual ritual. It gives me happiness too, despite all the pains of the arduous journey, especially since it done on barefoot," Chand said, adding he reached Patna from his home state by a train, and then took a local train to Sultanganj, part of the Bhagalpur district.The 110-km trek from Sultanganj to Deoghar (earlier in Bihar) immerses devotees both in pain and pleasure, many of whom get ulcers in their feet, but still go on and complete the auspicious yatra they had chosen to set out on.The bright, shiny kanwars made of wood and decorated with colourful clothes and plastic frills, having images of Lord Shiva, His trident ("trishul"), and Vasuki, the revered snake that circles the neck of the God, are eye-catching and wherever the devotees go, people often click their photos or chant "Bol Bam" in acknowledgement.At times, many devotees, carry their parents or elders in baskets attached to kanwars and do the yatra and many others do it while prostrating on the ground at regular intervals."Baba (Lord Shiva) gives us strength. I am in the middle of my journey, and no pain means anything in front of the anticipated joy of reaching Bhole ka Darbar in Deoghar and offering Ganga jal and obeisance. Other devotees feel the same," he said.Baba Baidyanath Dham is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva, considered among the holiest of the places by the Hindus, and the shrine, located in Deoghar, around 270 km from Ranchi, attracts thousands of pilgrims every year on the occasion of Shravani Mela that commenced on July 14.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently offered prayers and had darshan of the deity at the ancient holy shrine.During the yatra, devotees, fondly called kanwariyas, wear plain clothing of different hues of saffron often bearing images of Lord Shiva and "Bol Bam" printed on them, and carry a Kanwar over one or both shoulders as they undertake the journey. Some people do it individually while other travel in groups, and halt mid-way to take rest and refreshments to fuel themselves for the onward yatra.Devotees like J P Narayan, a Patna resident who retired from services in the Indian Railways and has completed the yatra multiple times, said it is done broadly in two ways -- Dak Bam yatra, done almost non-stop which has to be sort of finished in a day, while the other one is a normal Bam yatra, which could take from couple of days to even a week"s time, depending on individual strength and enthusiasm."On the way, devotees pass through hilly and uneven terrains too, but the feeling of "bhakti" inside give them strength to bear the pains and face difficulties with a smile. It empowered me to finish my yatras on several occasions. Arrangements are made en route for resting, using bathroom and medical kiosks just in case needs some attention," he said, and rued that loud music blaring out of audio system mounted on many mini-trucks carrying shouting groups of kanwariyas often casts shadows over this ancient tradition.Chand, when asked how much time it took to finish his first Bol Bam Yatra"in 2013, he said, "about 36-40 hours"."Every year, since then, it is taking more time, but the joy grows with every passing year. Bhole baba gave me two children -- 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son, and others in the family, who were also pining for children, became parents with Lord Shiva"s blessings. The yatra is truly divine," he said with a tone of fulfilment in his voice."During the last two years when the lockdowns were in place due to Covid, I couldn"t do my yatra. So, I offered Ganga jal stocked at home, on the shivling at home, to symbolically, complete my annual ritual," Chand said, before continuing on the long trek to Deoghar. PTI KND ZMN ZMN