Delegates from several countries, who are in the city for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group Conference, got a glimpse of the 800-year-old Warkari community’s palkhi festival.
About Palkhi festival:
Palkhi is a 1000 — year old tradition which was started by some saints of Maharashtra (India) and is still continued by their followers called varkaris (people who follow a vari, a fundamental ritual).
It is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) to Pandharpur - the seat of the Hindu god Vithoba in Maharashtra, in honour of the deity.
Journey:
They walk with palkhis (chariots) carrying paduka (sandals) of various saints - most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram.
Dnyaneshwar's palakhi leaves from Alandi, while Tukaram's begins at Dehu, both in Pune district of Maharashtra.
The Palkhi starts in the month of Jyeshth (June), and the whole process lasts a total of 22 days.
Every year on the eleventh day of the first half of the month of Ashadh, the Palkhi reaches Pandharpur.
Upon reaching Pandharpur on Ashadi Ekadashi, these devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Chandrabhaga River/Bhima River before proceeding to visit the Vitthal temple.
History:
Every saint, right from Sant Dnyaneshwar to Sant Tukaram, was following the Vari tradition.
In the year 1685, Narayan Baba, the youngest son of Tukaram was a man of innovative spirit and decided to bring about a change in the dindi-wari tradition by introducing the Palkhi, which is a sign of social respect.
He put the silver padukas (footsteps) of Tukaram in the Palkhi and proceeded with his dindi to Alandi where he put the padukas of Dnyaneshwar in the same Palkhi.
This tradition of twin Palkhis went on every year, but in 1830 there were some disputes in the family of Tukaram, concerned with rights and privileges.
Following this, some thoughtful persons decided to break-up the tradition of twin Palkhis and organise here after, two separate Palkhis Tukaram Palkhi from Dehu (Pune) and the Dnyaneshwar Palkhi from Alandi (Pune).
From that time till date, both the Palkhis meet in Pune for a brief halt and then diverge at Hadapsar to meet again at Wakhri, a village nearby to Pandharpur.
Who are Varkaris?
They are a Hindu religious sect that workship Vithoba (or Vitthal), an incarnation of Krishna.
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