Just Walking Around

Mukhvas and Paan ----After dinner mouth freshener

What is the last thing that you eat after dinner once the bill is paid and ready to leave. Its those brightly colored green and red sugar coated mixture of saunf , jintan (silver mini balls) , dhania daal that gives a sweet after taste and kill the foul breath. Yes it’s the Indian Mukhvas the Indian recipe for after food digestive and a mouth freshener.

Mukhvas is a colorful Indian after-meal snack or digestive aid. It also freshens your breath. It can be made of various seeds and nuts, but often found with fennel seeds, anise seeds, coconut, and sesame seeds. They are sweet in flavor and highly aromatic due to added sugar and the addition of various essential oils, including peppermint oil. The seeds can be savory or sweet-coated in sugar and brightly colored. Plain water drunk after chewing and consuming the fennel seeds contained therein tastes extremely sweet.

Occasionally, this is eaten for medicinal purposes.The word is an amalgamation of two distinctly different words, Mukh meaning mouth and Vas meaning smell.

If want to understand the serious business of Mukhwas ask any of your Gujarati friend what variety they keep as Mukhvas in their homes as standard. He / She will rattle off names like Jamnagri mixture , Sekeli Variyaali ane Sekeli dal mix , Ajwain dal (carom seeds) , Suwa Dal , Aam Chokhi (sweet & sour mango candy strips), Anar dana (spicy &sour dried pomegranate seed candy which is an after meal digestive) , Anar vati (spicy & sweet pomegranate seed tablet shaped candy which has medicinal property to control Blood Pressure and helps in improving  Iron absorption) , Drakshya vati (grape digestive) , Galya Amla ( amla candy strips) , Harde (little pungent pellets specially for those complaining of gas and flatulence) , Imgli goli (those small round balls made of Imli with is tangy taste and made famous by Jet Airways ) , Jeera goli (those dark colored balls with spicy sour taste) , Keri vati (raw mango candy) . Some others like Khari Khati Gotli which is lip smacking but also helps relieves head ache and known to cure diarrhea and fights obesity.

Some other variants are Pineapple vati ( pineapple flavored digestive) , Aam vati (ripe mango digestive), Sweet Ambodiya , Teekha Ambodiya , Hing Goli (asafetida falvoured) , Adrakh sadi (ginger flavored) to name few.

Then there are the other famous mixtures like Green Mukhvas – the colorful mixture widely available and favorite of all. The Rashbahri Variali (rashbhari flavored fennel seeds).Other favorite are the various suparis like Milky Supari (soft and sweet after meal tit-bits) , Pineapple Supari ,Kesar tukda and Kolkatta tukda. Then there are the special pan falvoured mukhwas like Kolkatta pan mukhwas , Paan gilori (dates filled with kolkatta pan mix) and the dried sahi paan mix.

All these fascinating digestive candies and mixtures and home made or sourced from special manufacturer like Mama Mukhwas Wala of Ahmedabad started 60 years ago as Jalaram Mukhwas by Kanhiyalal Pandhi , who sold home made pouches of mukhwas going door to door in Ahemdabad. The small business got a big boost when it received an order 5 timesthe scented supari  it stocked.The business outgrew and metamorphosed into Mama Mukhwas wala in 1990 . Its initial offerings were the crushed supari , digestive gollis (pellets ) and variyali. Today is boasts of a state of the art manufacturing set up and exports its mukhwas across the globe. Becoming a well known brand “Mama Mukhwas Wala” . Be sure to pick some of its tastiest product next time you are in Ahmedabad.

The other mouth freshner we Indians have been habituated is the Paan . Paan , from Sanskrit parṇa, meaning "leaf” is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut and sometimes also with tobacco.It is chewed for its stimulant and psychoactive effects.After chewing it is either spat out or swallowed. Paan has many variations. Slaked lime (chunnam) paste is commonly added to bind the leaves. Some South Asian preparations include katha paste or mukhwas to freshen the breath.

Paan is a ubiquitous sight in many parts of South and South East Asia. It is known by various names , Glori in Urdu  Beeda in Hindi , thambulam in Tamil , Tha\mbula in Kannada , Killi in Telugu , Sireh in Malay , Sirih in Indonesia , Suruh in Javanese and Bulath in Sinhalese to name few. Story of Paan dates back to 16^th  century when Ghiyas-ud-din Khilji, the Sultan of Mandu (1469–1500), made his khamsama’s prepare a after meal shahi paan with tender betel leaves of the finest quality  spread out sprinkled with rosewater stuffed with betel nut , kattha ,gulkand and saffron. An elaborate betel chew or paan would also contain fragrant spices and rose preserves with chopped areca nuts.

It is a tradition in South India and nearby regions to give two Betel leaves, areca nut (pieces or whole) and Coconut to the guests (both male and female) at any auspicious occasion. Even on a regular day it is the tradition to give a married woman, who visits the house, two Betel leaves, areca nut and coconut or some fruits along with a string of threaded flowers. This is referred to as tambolam.

Betel leaf used to make paan is produced in different parts of India. Some states that produce betel leaf for paan include West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. In West Bengal two types of betel leaves are produced. These are "Bangala Patta (Country Leaf)" and Mitha Patta (Sweet Leaf)". In West Bengal, Bangla patta is produced mainly in district of Dinajpur, Malda, Jalpaiguri, and Nadia. Mitha patta is produced in places such as Midnapur and South 24 Parganas

The skilled paan maker is known as a paanwala in North India. In other parts, paanwalas are also known as panwaris or panwadis. And the best paan that you can get in a city of Mumbai are at 4 places .Mucchad Pan Wala (Breach Candy)- originally from Allahabad (UP)

Shyama Charan Tiwari came from Allahabad and started making paans from the same place where the famous Mucchad shop stands today. He has 4 sons, who in turn have 11 sons, and all of them stay together with all the love in a 200 sq feet place. They all keep a moustache and consider it their khandani pesha. It is due to their moustaches that they came to be know as Mucchads. Their 'maghai meetha paan' is simply delicious .They have introduced some more flavors to attract their customers and all the flavors are a big hit! Some to mention are, Chocolate, Strawberry, Raspberry, Pineapple, and Ganga Jamuna. Ganga Jamuna has a vareity of electrifying fillings to give you a kick. Ganga Jamuna is the most demanded among the customers.

Ghantawala Pan Mandir (Borivali): originally from Bhadohi (UP)Vinod Kumar Tiwari became famous as Ghantawala Panwala as he is a big Shiv bhakt and before he serves a paan to a customer, he rings the bell and serves the paan to Lord Shiva. His grandfather used to follow this tradition as a Kashi baba told him that Shiva is the only God who gives you more than your bhaag. This is the only paan shop in the world that holds a record in the Guinness book. Their loyal customers have brought 450 different bells over the years from across 169 countries in the world as a gift for him, that have all been displayed in his shop. And this is why he holds the record for the maximum number of bells in his shop. His chocolate paan and maghai meetha are very popular.

 Mama Panwala (King's Circle) originally from Pali (Rajasthan)

Dinesh Tak is an Electronics engineer from Mumbai University. His father was a paanwala who had come to Mumbai many decades ago with his bhanja, who also assisted him in making paans. He would all the time address him as 'Mama', which the customers also started emulating and he came to be known as 'Mama Panwala'. Dinesh, like his father, believes that a paan has natural digestive qualities and thus, he ensures that his paan has no artificial colours and he uses the best ingredients to keep it simple and tasty. Dinesh worked with an IT firm for five years, but today, prefers to make paans instead as that is his family business.

And last last but not the least Sharda Pan Bhandar (Shivaji Park)patronized by young and old alike from Dadar , Shivaji Park and Mahim . After dinner head to this small stall opposite the famous school Bal Mohan Vidya Mandir and which is open well in to the early hours of morning . You will always find this place crowded to tuck into its meetha paan or the special Magai or the recent favorite Chocolate paan stuffed with choco chips and can be had even by small kids. Something unusal is a paan going by the name of powder paan , though I haven’t tried it you can have go at it at your own risk.

So next time you have dinner and feel a little bloated either try the Mukhwas or the digestive gollis or if you in a mood to end the night on a Rasila note bite into a Kolkatta Meetha paan and have the time of your life.

As the famous Bollywood song from the original Don featuring the Superstar Amitabh Bacchan goes –

“Arrey bhang kaa rang jamaa ho chakaachak
Phir lo paan chabaay –

Arrey aisaa jhatkaa lage jiyaa pe

Punar janam hoi jaay

O khaike paan banaaras vaalaa
O khaike paan banaaras vaalaa ,

Khul jaaye band akal kaa taalaa.
Phir to aisaa kare dhamaal
Seedhi kar de sabki chaal”

Just Walking Around

Breakfast -----The first Meal of the day

Every morning in any regular household in Mumbai its like a battle scene. The members of the family rushing about the home , brushing , bathing packing their bags , shouting at the top of the voice if some thing is not found. The scene is much like envisioned in that famous song Jame Raho from Taare Zammen Pe…

Kas ke joota, kas ke belt Khons ke andar apni shirt
Manzil ko chali sawaari Kandhon pe zimmedari

Hath mein file, man mein dum Meelon meel chalenge hum
Har muskil se takrayenge Tas se mas na honge hum

Duniya ka naara - Jame raho Manzil ka ishaara - jame raho

Yeh sote bhee hain attention Aage rehne ki hai tension
Mehnat inko pyaari hai Ek dum aagyankari hai

Duniya ka naara - jame raho Manzil ka ishaara - jame raho

And in all this rushing around we forget the most important thing , that is having a hearty breakfast. During a busy morning , its easy to let breakfast fall low in your list of priorities but taking just a few minutes to something to eat can really make a difference to your day. Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast – that’s where its name originates , breaking the fast. Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to sart the car with no petrol.

Nutritionist advise breakfast should be eaten within two hour of waking. Apart from providing us with energy , breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium , iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day.

Ask me as a Sales person with conference calls and meetings lined up through out the day, lots of time it happens that I would be rushing from one meeting to another and by the time you feel like having lunch its already 3pm in the afternoon and then you end up have some sandwich or a salad.And your body is left craving for food and energy.

I still remember that one day in Bangalore a few years back I had gone for a few Sales meeting. I was staying in the heart of the city at a office designated hotel . As usual I was thinking of skipping my breakfast when the colleague who joined me at the hotel suggest we go to one of the local favorites – Mavalli Tiffin Rooms commonly known as MTR.The best south Indian food chain which can give even McDonalds , Dominoes or KFC a run for their money. Its a unique experience. This vegetarian venture first opened its doors in Bangalore in 1924. Mavalli Tiffin Rooms is now in the hands of the third-generation owners, Hemamalini Maiya and her two brothers.Hemamalini gave up a promising career in engineering to take over the family business in 1999 when her father fell ill. She maintains that MTR is successful exactly because it has not tried to reinvent itself.  

 The decor is decidedly tired -- faded curtains and scruffy walls, plain tables with red plastic garden chairs.  There is a huge waiting room with wooden benches lined up like in old railway station waiting rooms where you wait your turn. Once your turn comes you are ushered in the main dining area by the wait-staff. The wait-staff look like they are from another era, dressed in shirts and loincloths and walking barefoot. You get seated and order for the yummiest and piping hot breakfast. We ordered and were served rava idli, which Mavalli Tiffin Rooms claims it invented. The soft steamed bread is made from semolina instead of the usual rice flour, a recipe that dates back to grain shortages during World War II.

The idli arrives with coconut chutney, a spicy sambar and a vada, which is a delicious savory donut made from lentils. For me, the pièce de résistance for me is the masala dosa, freshly made, steaming hot, straight from the kitchen. A small bowl of ghee is available to pour over your dosa if you need a coronary overload.

Rather like a stiff pancake, but made from rice flour, the crust of the dosa is crisp, melt-in-the-mouth and has a pleasant caramel-like aftertaste. The center is filled with seasoned potato and onion. It is perfect and lip smacking…

In hindsight we did the right thing having a hearty breakfast at MTR because as usual by the time we were done with the meetings it was nearly 4pm and I had to rush off to the airport to catch my plane back home.

As we are on the topic of breakfast another place to have great breakfast is the Prashanth Upahar Ghar. In Indore, breakfast is equivalent to poha and jalebi. Any corner eatery worth its salt will have this delicacy steaming in large 'kadhais' on an open fire. In a neighboring kadhai, the halwai will be frying delicious circular patterns of jalebi, and dipping them in yellow sugary syrup. But Prashanth Upahar Ghar's poha and jalebi are the best. The poha is soft and fluffy and mildly spiced, while the jalebi is crispy goodness personified. This combination of sweet and savoury gives a good kick-start to the day.

Indore is a complete paradise for vegetarian food, but if you crave red meat, Johnny's is the place to go. The mutton hot dog is the most delicious dish you can snack on. The patties are succulent and juicy between two soft round buttered buns with extra servings of thinly sliced onions and chutney. You may think these look more like burgers than hot dogs, but that's what they are called here and no one is complaining. In the evenings, the place is packed and it can be a while before you get served.

Another one of my favorite breakfast joints is the unique restaurant in Nagpur going by the name of what else but – The Breakfast Story

The Breakfast Story is one of a kind restaurant in Nagpur , which is well known for its all-day breakfasts. This quirky place lays a lot of emphasis on its look and interiors. It features creative uses of recycled and second hand goods to give a vibrant and cheerful look to the place. Here you will find shopping trolleys as news paper stands to having games like snakes and ladder engraved on the furniture. The Breakfast Story changes its menu daily except for the egg dishes and the side orders. Charming and quirky , The Breakfast Story is a great place to relax and have a breakfast while reading newspaper or chatting with family and friends.

But if you are an assal Fan of that Maharashtrian spicy & fiery concoction called Missal you can not and should not miss eating at Sadhana Missal in Nashik.

Nashik is known for Missal. Every other hotel has “special” Missal on their menu. There are new missal places mushrooming every few weeks, trying very hard to differentiate themselves in some way. A year back during my visit to Glaxo and Mylan for exploring some business , I spotted this board near Jihan circle which read- Chulivarchi missal. Meaning missal cooked on a stove. And for those who don’t know what Missal is- it is spicy vegetarian legume curry, served with bread by the side. When food is cooked on a “chul” (wood fire stove) it has a distinct  smoky flavor. I don’t know if it is the slow cooking process or the smoky wood flavour, but food does taste better when cooked on a “chul”.

Sadahna Missal which is on Gangapur road, on the way to Sula is the original chulivarchi missal place. I specified original cause many have followed now. Tejas, the owner, told me that the family has been in the missal business since 55 years. When he returned from the UK to Nashik, he felt there was no missal place in Nashik, where families could hangout. Most of the missal joints are not very well maintained, small and crowded places. As a result, people had to sit all cramped up, eat quickly and leave. And so, he decided to come up with a Missal place which could double up as a family outing

So next time you are rushing off with out breakfast in the morning pause for a while and think again. As the famous saying goes “Breakfast like a King , Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a pauper”

Just Walking Around

Mumbai Rains -----Bhutte ka maja Aur Ek Cutting Chai

One thing that Mumbai scores over any other city in India is its awe inspiring Sea line and the refreshing Rains. It’s the best pace to be in when the dark rain clouds gather in the sky and winds sweep across the city landscape . And as if on que the birds make a beeline flying away to remote location trying to find shelter from the impending rains. Then the down pour comes , starting with a drizzle and reaching a crescendo with huge droplets pelting away at the roof tops . And in a few minutes there is water every where , on the roads , in the neighbouring gardens , out side railway stations and over the new steel lined bus stops. You can see rivulets of water running across the roads and getting emptied in the much promised clean storm water drains. But the inefficiency of the Brihan Mumbai Mahanagar Palika or The omnipresent – the all pervading BMC come to the fore , like every year the streets get flooded and you can see the chaos coming. First the traffic  comes to a crawl creating a huge mess on the roads. Then the water logging on the railway tracks slowing down Mumbai’s artery and the travel network. The time clock on the rail platforms go blank with no definite time of the trains arrival. Crowds increasing on the platform and getting restless. And then comes a huge shower making every body to back off on the platform and take shelter under the tin roof in a place as small as a rat hole. Trying desperately to fend off the pouring rain.

Some like me don’t care of getting wet and actually look forward to the gushing rains after a long hot and perspiring Summer. Best place to be during the rains is the Marine Drive promenade . Walking down from opposite Marine Lines Station toward Chowpatty in the little drizzle or even during heavy rains carrying an Umbrella and enjoying the down pour. Or simply sitting at Lands end close to NCPA sitting on the embankment staring at the ferocious Sea with chopping & churning waters. And then from nowhere you are approached by the roadside Chaiwallah selling his wares on a cycle . The glass of cutting chai with its wafts of ginger and masala mixed with heavenly brew , just the perfect foil to the wet & chilly weather. Drinking that cutting chai you feel refreshed and energized.

To talk about cutting chai and you can never be disappointed with Babban’s Cutting Chai under the bridge opposite Dadar West Railway station.He’s been brewing his chai for last 20 years . With a kerosene stove perched on a table , pots of water , his special chai patti and milk stirred to perfection to give a special kick to the body making your adrenaline rush and wake you up from your sluggishness. His specialty though is the chocolate chai.Sweet and little gada (thick) . HE serves in the typical clunky glasses. Take your pick full cup or a cutting . Drink it and get energized. And what would go with this hot cup of tea . You could visit the numerous Irani Cafes for a Bun Maska or Brun (Kadak Pav) Masks. Sit at the corner table at Koolar’s at King Circle dip that buttered piece of pav in the chai , let it soak in the hot beverage and bite into the soggy pav and enjoy the rains lashing Mumbai landscape. Sitting there with no one to disturb you  enjoy the scene outside.Watch the young Mothers trying to rein in their tiny tots splashing in the puddles created by the down pour. With the wind gushing and blowing away at the umbrellas , enjoy the funny scenes on the road outside.

Another mouth watering time pass is to gorge on the Corn or Bhutta as we call. These cobs coming in traditional white or the newer golden sweet variety. Right across from Noble Chemist near Kapole Niwas sits a bhaiya . One of the more popular Bhuttawallahs who attracts people from all across the city , mostly old residents from Matunga who have moved on to the suburbs or recommended by these Matungaiet’s. Whatever scenic beauty that he lacks as compared to his counterparts who sell these Makka’s at the beach from in Juhu or Girgaon Chowpatty , he makes up with his lip smacking bhutta’s. Most famous for his classic Butter Bhutta sprinkled with his special masala mix , the taste is heavenly. On special request he even roasts the corn cobs inside the coal sigdi to give a little crispiness. He also offer loose corn kernels in little cups mixed with dollop’s of butter and masala mix. You can also try his newest Garlic Bhutta which lip smacking.

If you want to enjoy the rains with you sweet heart there’s no place like Shivaji Park. Sitting there at the Shivaji Park Katta holding hands and getting lost in hers eyes as the rain comes down and you both are struggling to keep yourself dry under one umbrella between the two of you . Its magical , these moments will be etched in your memories forever … As they say “Till death do us apart”..

When it rains in Mumbai it pours its never a drizzle and the 3 best romantic places to be during the rains are Bandra Bandstand - An alternative to Marines, the restructured Bandstand Promenade has the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea and homes of the who’s who of Bollywood on either side of it. You can climb a little higher on the ruins of the fort and get a fantastic view of the sea and the city. And while you’re at it, you can also check the ‘Walk of Stars’ which showcases the handprints of famous Bollywood stars. Gateway of India - This heritage structure stands tall in its glory as the rains gushes over it. Though it never fails to mesmerize all-round the year, the high tides during monsoons splashing over it and everything around has an endearing charm of its own. Take a walk along the seams or enjoy the view with a nice cup of coffee at one of the café’s nearby. And finally Manori Creek -Manori is a quaint little village by the creek and has a sprawling beach which is reminiscent of the beaches of Goa. Within the city but devoid of its noise, this sea shore provides a quick getaway from the city rush. The drive to this place takes a little above an hour but is totally worthwhile as you can see the transition from the concrete buildings to the mud houses cropped between green landscapes.

Apart from this, there are food shacks lined along the beach which has some scrumptious seafood to offer and a ferry ride that takes you to Essel World and Water Kingdom; to the childhood love of fun rides. What more could you ask for!

So next time it rains , if you are the outdoor types head to any of these mesmerizing locations like Marine Drive or Worli Sea Face or better still at the Shivaji Park Katta. Enjoy the golden moments. Or stay back at home as the rains lash the city landscape , with the rain drops hitting your large French windows or the veranda of your home. Turn on the radio tune in to Vivid Bharthi for songs like “ Rim Zim ke Tarane leke aai Barsaat…. Yaad hai mujhe who pehli mulakat… Or tune to Radio Nasha to enjoy some retro songs … “ Rim  Zim Rim Zim Rum Zoom Rum Zoom .. Bhegi Bheegi Rut me Jalte Hain .. Jalte Hain”.  Bite into those freshly made hot kanda or batata bajjis and get lost in your Spouse’s eyes  in between Chuski from the garma garam chai . 

Create you sweet memories….Enjoy life…. Enjoy the Rains…….

Just Walking Around

Pandharpur Chi Wari ----Road to Salvation

A few years back I , some time in June I was going for a Terms & Conditions negotiation meeting at Thermax in Pune. A meeting which had more to do with legal clauses like Limitation of Liability , Intellectual Property Rights, Export Control , Payment Terms etc , than the usual Sales discussion. A rather nerve wrecking and dull affair , which required me to be a legal expert than a Sales person. Anyways as usual in those days , I took the early morning Shivneri -the blue colored Volvo run very efficiently by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation or MSRTC or simply know as ST . Some of the best things of the bus is its comfortable seating and on time departure unlike the unprofessional attitude of the private bus operators. As usual took an aisle seat quite towards the back and snoozed into a light slumber . By the time we reached the Lonavala -Khandala the scene outside had dramatically changed with the clouds literally coming down over the hill side accompanied by a consistent shower of rain. The greenery all around made it pleasing to the eye and  the atmosphere was more romantic than dull prospect of the meeting I had embarked upon.

As the bus neared the town of Dehu road on the old Mumbai-Pune Highway , I could hear sounds of Taal and dhol beating in rythmatic sequence followed by chants of Shree Hari Vitthal -Jai Hari Vitthal . I hopped on to the now vacant window seat peered through glass . I could make out a crowd of nearly a thousand people chanting , singing and walking in a disciplined manner at the side of the road. The serpentine que secured by ropes on either side. People of all ages were walking along.  You could see  men in their white Kurta and dhoti with mala of tulsi beads in their neck and a white tikka on their forehead singing abhangs or chanting Shree Hari Vitthal Jai HariVitthal and Gyanba Tukaram followed by women in traditional navari (nine yard) saree with their heads covered or with small pots of tulsi balanced over their heads . You could even see tiny tots on the hips of these women or if little older walking along with their families in half shirts and worn – faded half pants shouting the chants at the top of their voices or swaying – dancing enthusiastically.

The scene was vibrant with hordes of people walking with single minded focus of reaching the land of the Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur. These people were from Warkari Sect. They embark upon this annual long march – Wari every year which starts around 21 days before the holy day of Ashadi Ekadashi and culminates a day before Ekadashi at Pandhapur the abode of Lord Vitthal . in the Indian state of Maharashtra, in honour of the deity. palakhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka (foot prints) of various saints - most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram - from the Varkari (Warkari, "one who performs the Wari") sect (which venerates Vithoba), are taken from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old. Dnyaneshwar's palakhi leaves from Alandi, while Tukaram's begins at Dehu; both in Pune district of Maharashtra. This March on foot from various locations in Maharashtra to Vithoba temple, Pandharpur, attracts a total of over a million pilgrims.The journey takes 21 days.Numerous palakhis join the main Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar palkhis that starts from Dehu and Alandi respectively.

Pune city and the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad are caught in a warkari wave with lakhs embarking on the three-week pilgrimage that will continue till Ashadi Ekadashi. As has been the tradition the annual palkhi processions of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Saint Tukaram are welcomed in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune city, amid chants of bhajan and sounds of traditional music instruments.

Both processions enter Pune through separate routes and by evening, streets in Shivajinagar and Peth areas were filled with lakhs of warkaris. They descended on temple town Dehu and Alandi from various parts of Maharashtra and a few other states.

Divided into several “dindis” (groups), some carried idols of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram on their heads, while a few others carried “tulsi” pots. Several warkaris swayed holding saffron flags. The old, the infirm, men and women walked hand in hand to honour their commitment to the tradition of “wari.”

The warkaris halt in Pune for 36 hours and proceed towards Pandhapur. Making Pune the hub of spiritual ceremonies during this period and making this place the best place to be if you want to soak in this mesmerizing atmosphere.

Along the highways, activists, families and members of social and voluntary organisations wait to provide food, biscuits, fruits and water to warkaris

On their way, the pilgrims not only play musical instruments like veenas, mridungas, dholkis and chiplis. The pilgrims especially the women also play the traditional folk dance "fugdi" with their infectious enthusiasm and energy. With the saffron coloured triangular 'paatakas' (flags) in hands and tulsi leaves on their heads the pilgrims present a perfect picture of the Bhakti tradition of Maharshtra.

The wari culminates at the Vithoba temple on Ashadhi Ekadashi. Devotees from Maharashtra and nearby areas set out for Pandharpur, wearing holy basil beads and singing the glories of Vithoba and songs like "Gyanba Tukaram", commemorating the saints. Upon reaching Pandharpur on Ashadi Ekadashi, these devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Chandrabhaga River before proceeding to take Darshan (see) Vithoba's central icon in the main temple. These devout pilgrims got the reward for their long journey when they witnessed the "maha puja" of Lord Vitthala and his concert Rukhmini in Pandharpur on the Ashadi Ekadashi day

Participation in Ashadi Dindi helps an individual in many ways by bringing good health, peace & prosperity in his life. Chanting the continuous glory of the God in the Ashadi Dindi procession and Seva Dindi purifies an individual, there is an inner cleansing that takes place in Mind, Body and Spirit and the participants tend to lose their individual identities and experience bliss. It develops all aspects of human personality and helps us understand the true purpose of Life.

This culminates the long and arduous journey on the road to Salvation.  

Dev Maza Vithu Savala , Mal Tyachi Maziya Gala

Vithu Rahe Pandharpuri ,Vaikunthch He Bhuvari

Bhimechya Kathi Dule Bhakticha Mala

Sajire Rup Sunder ,Kati Zhakle Pitambar

Kanthat Tulsi che Haar , Kasturi Tila

Bhajanat Vithu Dolato Kirtanat Vithu Nachato

Ragun Jayi Bhaktancha Lala