Lakhs of Warkaris gathered on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River in Pandharpur on Saturday as the annual Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage culminated on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
The 800-year-old Pandharpur Wari is one of Maharashtra’s most significant spiritual traditions, during which millions of devotees walk on foot to Pandharpur to offer prayers to Bhagavan Vithoba. This year’s Wari began on July 7 and concluded on July 25, with large numbers of pilgrims taking a holy dip in the river as part of the traditional rituals.
Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan offered prayers at the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple and said crowd management arrangements were in place. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde also performed the mahapuja at the temple.
The pilgrimage saw a tragic incident earlier in the month. On July 13, three women pilgrims were killed and four others injured after a truck carrying Warkaris rammed into a group of pilgrims on the Saswad-Jejuri Road in Pune district. Police said the truck driver, a 70-year-old man, has been detained.
Despite the tragedy, devotees continued the journey with faith, culminating in the sacred darshan of Lord Vithoba on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
Lakhs of Warkaris gather at Chandrabhaga river as Pandharpur Wari culminates on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
When faith walks for miles, even sorrow bows to devotion.
