Kanwariyas on the riverbank at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur make a sankalp (promise) to maintain the norms during their journey to Deoghar. Picture by Amit Kumar

Kanwariya Path (Banka), Aug. 3: Fear of god has taken care of the hygiene problem, albeit temporarily, on which the Centre, the state government, World Health Organisation, Unicef, Red Cross Society, along with thousands of voluntary organisations, spent crores but failed to solve.

The government and the world organisations conducted cleanness drives across the country spending crores, but their success was always questionable. But Lord Shiva, who is considered the most effective teacher in the world, succeeded in the cleanliness mission, at least for the month of Shravan on the 105km kanwaryia path (pilgrims’ route) from Sultanganj to Deoghar.

“Dak bums, do not dare to spit on the road, Bhola Baba is watching you all,” warned Bikash Yadav, a kanwariya to his friends. Bikash, hailing from Siwan, was on way to Deoghar with his friends on the kanwariya path near Jilibiya More in Banka district.

Similarly, Uma Devi and Ramesh Rajak, a couple from Sahebganj in Jharkhand, asked their son, Sonu (8), to restrain his urge to answer to nature’s call. “Don’t halt, as there is no public toilet. We will reach Katoria soon where you can freshen up,” the couple told the small boy, who was feeling uncomfortable.

The couple were busy teaching Sonu the importance of maintaining cleanliness with reference to rituals and in the name of Lord Shiva.

“The entire kanwariya path remains overcrowded throughout the month-long Shravani Mela with kanwariyas but you will be surprised to find the route clean,” said Rajiv Kumar, a pilgrim from Bhagalpur. “This is because of the strict discipline of the disciples of Lord Shiva. The kanwariyas obey their lord and no one dares to spit on the road or use the fields or any open space to answer nature’s call,” he said.

“The foreigners with whom I had the privilege to talk to during their stay at my hotel always appreciate Biharis but the majority complain of the Biharis’ habit of spitting on the roads,” said Arun Kumar, an employee of a five-star hotel at Patna. Kumar, who was going to Deoghar along with his friends, was surprised to find the radical change in the behaviour of the kanwariyas, as he did not see anyone committing nuisance during his journey on the kanwariya route. “People have the habit of spitting on several important roads in Patna but no kanwariya ever spits here though there are no police to guard the route,” he added. “I would ask the foreigners to visit this kanwariya path just to change their impression about Bihari people,” he added.

“I have taken the lesson. I will never spit on the road or public places now,” said Deepak Prasad, a college student from Sitamarhi.