The Wari, the annual pilgrimage procession in Maharashtra where lakhs of devotees carry the padukas (footwear) of Warkari saints Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram to Pandharpur from Alandi and Dehu, respectively, took its present grand form in the early 19th century. It was Haibatbaba Arphalkar, a Sardar with the Scindias of the princely state of Gwalior, who started the tradition of carrying the padukas in beautiful palkhis (palanquins) pulled by bullocks with devotees following them.
Since then, en route to Pandharpur, the palkhis have taken a break for one day and two nights in Pune. While in the past, both palkhis reportedly rested at Nivdunga Vithoba Mandir in Nana Peth, now, the palkhi of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj halts at the Palkhi Vithoba Mandir in neighboring Bhavani Peth.
The Palkhi Vithoba temple welcomes the palanquin, and the large number of devotees accompanying it, on the second day after they depart from Alandi. The temple has a large hall, which accommodates hundreds of devotees every year, and a Warkari Bhavan behind the temple that shelters around 300 warkaris or devotees.
A painting at the Palkhi Vithoba Temple (Express Photo by Vansh Chauhan)
“This centuries-old temple underwent a renovation in 1984, including the replacement of deteriorated idols with new ones,” says Tejendra Kondhare, chairman of the temple’s trust. “When the palkhi is resting here, lakhs of devotees visit the temple to pay their respects. The temple premises are packed with devotees standing in long lines,” he adds.
The police, the district administration and the temple trustees work in tandem to organize the procession’s route and logistics to guarantee the devotees’ safety and security.
Nivdunga Vithoba Devasthan
This temple, where the palkhi of Sant Tukaram rests for two nights and one day, got its name due to the belief the idol of Lord Vitthal that is housed here was discovered by a devotee beneath a cactus tree, called Nivdunga in Marathi. The temple in its present form was constructed in 1830 by a Gujarati called Kanhaiya, says a temple official. About a century later, it was renovated by Purshottam Sheth, a Gujarati merchant, and was designated as a sarvajanik devasthan or public temple.
Nivdunga Vithoba Temple (Express Photo by Vansh Chauhan)
The main idol of Lord Vitthal has a ‘Shiva Pinda’ on its head. “There is a tulsi garland around his neck, a lotus flower in his hand and a Panchajanya conch,” Ravindra Padhye, the manager of Nivdunga Vithoba Devasthan, said.
The temple building, classified as a Grade III heritage property by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), has stone brick walls with a sanctum sanctorum, a frontal hall supported by ornate pillars, and a beautiful hardwood ceiling. The hall is also surrounded by a Pradakshina (circumambulation) path.
A distinctive feature of this temple is the presence of marble inscriptions based on the fables of Sant Dnyaneshwar, which appear in front of the Lord Vitthal idol when entering the main hall. It also houses an old statue of Garuda (Vishnu’s vehicle), a silver statue of the late Sonopant Dandekar, a philosopher and educationist, and statues of many renowned saints associated with the Palki tradition, such as Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Namdeo.
Vitthal Rukhmini idols at the Nivdunga Vithoba Temple (Express Photo by Vansh Chauhan)
Another unique feature of this temple is the Belgian glass installed on the walls beside the idols of Lord Vitthal and Rukmini. Through this glass, countless reflections of Lord Vitthal can be seen.
When the palkhi halts at the temple, a Chakri Bhajan (moving in circles like a wheel and singing devotional songs) is performed. “Every year, around 4,000-5,000 warkaris reside in Nana Peth during the palkhi procession. We strive to help them in many ways, offering free food, water, tea, a place to rest, and portable washrooms if possible,” Padhye, whose family has been looking after the temple for the past four generations, said. “Locals also assist us and participate in the Wari tradition through different art forms and devotional practices,” said Padhye.