After the traditional "Kanwar Yatra" was banned in the wake of the Covid crisis, many followers went to post offices in western Uttar Pradesh to buy bottles of Gangajal. One of the officials said 350 bottles had been sold in the city of Bareilly in the past six days.
Postmaster General Sanjay Singh, the manager of Western UP, said more than 300 post offices in the area have become sales centres. Due to the ban on Kanwar Yatra, people cannot go to Uttarakhand, but Gangajal picked up by Gangotri is available at certain post offices in all major cities, he added.
The Post kept the price of a 250ml bottle at 30 rupees, he said, adding that sales are expected to increase on Mondays.
While 190 bottles of Gangajal were sold at the central post office and 160 were sold at other post offices in the city, Bareilly Postmaster PK Singh said. The annual "Kanwar Yatra" was banned for fear of the third wave of coronavirus.