Pandharpur Wari: A pilgrimage with many emotions

As the world is getting back on its feet, so are the warkaris, who walk to the Lord Vithoba temple. The Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi processions started their three-week-long journeys from Monday and Tuesday from the temple towns of Dehu and Alandi. They are expected to reach Pandharpur on July 10.

“It’s like meeting our family members after a long time. It’s the same feeling like a baby longing for a mother’s love for two years,” says Nilesh Misal, 47 from Katraj. Misal has already cycled his way to Pandharpur earlier this month and did a marathon of three days from Dehu to Pandharpur in 3 days covering almost 260kms. This Friday, he will be going back to the temple with 300 students of Aaryans World School. “This pilgrimage is everything for us. Every year we only wait for these days to meet our beloved Vithu Mauli. The idea of taking students to the temple is to ensure the legacy continues,” Misal shares.

Soniya Kriplani, 51 from Sinhgad Road who is walking this year, doesn’t believe a lot of practise is needed for the same. “Just a bit of planning, practise and focus is enough to walk miles. I feel blessed to even walk this year, last time I remember taking Tulsi pots on your heads. We were also playing lezim that other warkaris had,” Kriplani says.

41-year-old Sachin Prabhune has been doing Wari at the age of 17. He says, “For some it’s their descendant ritual and for some it’s just fun. But there are a lot of people who earn their bread and butter during Wari. Like a barber, hotel owner, tea stall owner, balloon and toys stall, grocery shops. Everyone should attend Wari at least once in their life. It’s the school of many things. People can learn discipline and management.”