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