New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- In view of the heavy movement of Kanwar pilgrims during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, schools and colleges in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, will remain closed till August 12. Educational institutions in other UP districts, including Meerut and Baghpat, will also be shut during this period.

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual Hindu pilgrimage during the holy month of Shravan in which devotees of Lord Shiva carry holy Ganga water, usually collected from Haridwar and other sacred ghats, to offer it at Shiva temples after travelling on foot.

The Ghaziabad administration ordered the closure of all schools from nursery to Class 12, as well as colleges, universities and technical institutions, from August 4 to August 12.

In an official...