Pandharpur: A Mumbai-based engineer, a farmer, a provider of LPG cylinders, a scholar and a homemaker had been among the many Warkaris who walked 250 kms to Pandharpur in Maharashtra’s Solapur district amid chants of “Mauli Mauli (Lord)“, reverberating sounds of abhangas (devotional songs) and people of the standard devices taal and mridangam.
This was the setting of the ‘Wari’ — the annual pilgrimage undertaken by pilgrims who’re additionally referred to as Warkaris. The pilgrimage, which started from Alandi and Dehu in Pune early June and culminated on the Vitthal-Rukmini temple in Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi (Thursday), was carried out this yr below the eager glare of all political events, together with Telangana’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), who made efforts to faucet it for political mileage.
The thrill surrounding BRS chief and Telangana CM Ok. Chandrashekar Rao’s presence in the course of the ‘Wari’ made nationwide headlines, in addition to makes an attempt by the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra authorities to flex its muscle tissue. An incident of overcrowding at Alandi within the Pune district from the place the ‘Wari’ begins and movies of police making an attempt to restrain Warkaris, in the meantime, gave the Opposition within the state a chance to attain some brownie factors.
One motive why all political stakeholders have been making makes an attempt to woo the Warkaris is as a result of the group represents a slice of Maharashtra itself. Its followers minimize throughout caste, gender and sophistication, united of their devotion to saints Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Namdev, Eknath, and Muktabai. The Warkaris don’t subscribe to any explicit caste or faith.
“There are not any caste-based variations right here. Tolerance and inclusivity are the essence of the ‘Wari’. Similar to how the daylight is for everybody and raindrops don’t differentiate. Right here, there is no such thing as a man or girl or any higher caste or decrease caste. We’re all simply Warkaris,” mentioned Babasaheb Chorghe, wearing white and carrying a cap with ‘Mauli’ printed on it.
Claiming to be apolitical and ‘caste-less’, Warkaris say they hint their roots to the Bhakti motion which endorses the need for a direct relationship with God whereas rejecting the principles and rituals imposed by society.
Chorghe, who hails from Karad in Satara district and works as supply companion for a medical distributor in Mumbai, mentioned he launched into his first ‘Wari’ on the tender age of eight. “That is my forty seventh yr,” he advised ThePrint.
In standard tradition, the annual pilgrimage of ‘Wari’ is believed to have begun with saint Dynaneshwar’s pilgrimage to Pandharpur from Alandi within the thirteenth century to worship Lord Vitthal and his consort, Rukmini. Like Chorghe, about 15 lakh devotees from throughout Maharashtra joined the pilgrimage this yr, in response to the native police, to “immerse themselves in devotion” for 21 days main as much as Ashadhi Ekadashi.
This time round, the temple city of Pandharpur was awash with banners, posters, hoardings put up by political events in every single place alongside the pilgrimage path. These banners, displaying leaders of political events dressed as pilgrims, welcomed the Warkaris.
Based on political analyst Prakash Bal, the involvement of politicians within the ‘Wari’ may be traced again to the previous decade.
“‘Wari’ or Warkaris had nothing to do with any faith. However Hindutva leaders marking their presence within the ‘Wari’ looks as if an try to unfold Hindutva amongst them. For many years, the state authorities offered services for the Warkaris and the chief minister did the puja however the involvement of presidency was restricted to simply that,” he mentioned.
Bal added that for politicians, Warkaris solely quantity to a vote financial institution, which is why one may spot banners and posters of political events so far as the attention may see alongside its route, “which was not the state of affairs few years in the past”.
Nonetheless, if Chorghe is to be believed, “These politicians are solely doing their advertising. It’s simply enterprise for them. And Warkaris will not be into enterprise.”
‘Legs don’t damage as devotion is paramount’
The ‘Wari’ begins from the temple of Lord Vitthal in Alandi and Dehu, cities close to Pune, within the first weeks of the Ashadh month (the fourth month of the Hindu calendar).
Warkaris are a combined demographic and embrace youngsters accompanied by mother and father, in addition to senior residents, all wearing easy garments — a primary cotton kurta, or easy sarees and minimal jewelry — nothing that provides away their social or monetary standing.
After they start the ‘Wari’, they are saying, they forged apart all their worldly troubles. The one activity forward of them is getting to the ghats — the journey undertaken on foot within the scorching warmth and at occasions, amid downpour.
“For 3 days, the solar was scorching our pores and skin. I believed I wouldn’t be capable of stroll anymore, however it began raining on the fourth day and I continued with renewed vigour. My legs don’t damage as devotion is paramount. You can’t have such an expertise elsewhere,” mentioned Narendra Kirtikar, a Mumbai-based Warkari who began his pilgrimage from Alandi.
An important a part of a ‘Wari’ are the palkhis, or palanquin of saints organised by temple trusts which many dindis (processions) observe. Media reviews mentioned there have been 43 palkhis this yr. However the oldest and most revered are the palkhis of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram that comprise their padukas (illustration of their toes).
This previous Thursday, Ektari Veena in a single hand and black tika on their foreheads, hundreds of devotees, principally from rural Maharashtra, entered the temple city of Pandharpur, chanting the Lord’s title — “Mauli Mauli, Dnyaneshwara, Tukaram, Namdev, Eknathdnyaneshwara, tukoba Mauli”.
Many ladies walked the ‘Wari’ in a conventional nine-yard saree, singing abhangas of Lord Vitthal and saints Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, and a few enjoying the phugdi (locking fingers and getting in circles). Others balanced a Tulsi Vrindavan (Tulsi plant) on their heads whereas holding tempo with the dindi.
“It’s a image of Rukhmai (Rukmini) in order a mark of respect, we by no means put it down and even carry it in our arms,” mentioned Rohini Jamble, who got here all the best way from Jalna to take part within the ‘Wari’. “We simply cross it on from one head to a different,” mentioned Jamble, a farmer.
Warkaris then flooded the banks of river Chandrabhaga, the place the temples of Lord Vitthal and Rukhmai are located, for ablutions earlier than darshan of their Lord.
Many pilgrims ThePrint spoke to had been embarking on the ‘Wari’ for 2 or three many years — an annual household custom.
Sixty-one-year-old Harikishan Bhatkal from Jalna, who ‘sells LPG cylinders’, mentioned he began strolling the ‘Wari’ due to his uncle and grandfather. In his thirty fifth yr now, he was joined by his son this time round.
Vishan Baviskar, a 22-year-old Mumbai-based engineering scholar, was a first-timer born in a household of Warkaris. Baviskar, who additionally fought a bout of sickness whereas strolling the ‘Wari’ mentioned, “I couldn’t be part of earlier due to my research. Once I see an previous man of 70-75 years strolling, I realise there’s a lot extra to be taught, I’ve barely accomplished something in life.”
‘Politics doesn’t work in our group’
Final yr, in what was seen as an outreach, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated a rock temple at Tukaram’s temple in Dehu.
This time round, the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra authorities introduced an insurance coverage plan for Warkaris, which in accordance to media reviews, covers the period of the pilgrimage and permits pilgrims to submit claims below varied heads.
CM Shinde, who visited Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi and carried out the standard puja on the temple, visited the temple city Monday to ‘examine the preparedness’.
Based on the cops close to the temple, about 7,000 Maharashtra police personnel had been deployed throughout Pandharpur to keep up regulation and order and make sure the security of pilgrims.
In the meantime, Telangana CM KCR, who has been making an attempt to broaden his celebration in Maharashtra visited Pandharpur Tuesday. Though he addressed a public gathering within the temple city, his request to bathe flower petals on Warkaris from a helicopter was denied.
“We’re simply youngsters of Mauli. Politics doesn’t work in our group…We’re right here out of devotion,” 30-year-old Sitaram Bhendekar, a farmer and musician who performs the dhol in dindi, advised ThePrint.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
Additionally learn: Aurangabad metropolis might have been renamed, however Maharashtra politics shouldn’t be fairly accomplished with Aurangzeb