PUNE The two temple trusts of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj have decided to take their respective Palkhis (palanquin) carrying ‘padukas’ of presiding saints to Pandharpur through state transport bus on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi on July 1.
The palkhis will leave on June 30 for Pandharpur.
The Maharashtra government has cancelled the annual wari procession amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pune division commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar in a letter to the two temple trusts’ conveyed that all the required security measures will be in place and only 20 persons will be allowed during the commute.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will also visit the temple town.
In his address on Sunday, Thackeray said he will visit Pandharpur on July 1 during the Ekadashi – 11th day of Hindu month Ashad, considered to be auspicious – to pray to Lord Vitthal to make Maharashtra virus free. As part of a long-standing tradition of state on Ashadhi Ekadashi, the CM on behalf of the state offers prayers at the temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal.
“I consider myself fortunate that I had joined Wari (annual pilgrimage) in a helicopter during 2010 to click aerial photos. I will go to Pandharpur this Ekadashi and pray for freedom from Covid-19,” said Thackeray.
{{/usCountry}}“I consider myself fortunate that I had joined Wari (annual pilgrimage) in a helicopter during 2010 to click aerial photos. I will go to Pandharpur this Ekadashi and pray for freedom from Covid-19,” said Thackeray.
{{/usCountry}}SPPU to organise virtual wari
On the occasion of Ekadashi, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SSPU) will be holding week-long ‘virtual wari’ programme from June 29 to July 4.
SPPU’s Student Welfare Board (SWB) and National Service Scheme (NSS) department has planned this initiative. Under this initiative, around 40,000 students from SPPU and affiliated colleges will participate in various social activities at their village or city following all the social distancing rules and taking safety precautionary measures.
Prof Nitin Karmalkar, SPPU vice-chancellor; NS Umrani, pro-vice-chancellor; SPPU’s management council members Rajesh Pande and Bageshree Manthalkar were present for the press conference on Sunday.
Pande said, “It will be a week-long programme in which there will be various initiatives like on Monday, June 29, the online inaugural ceremony will be there through social media platforms. Then on June 30, Tuesday students will participate in local governing bodies cleanliness and sanitisation drives. Also, they will create awareness amongst people about Covid-19 disease and what all precautionary measures need to be taken.”
“On July 1 there will be blood donation camps and health checkup drives and on July 2 students will again create awareness about open defecation and spitting. On July 3 we have appealed all the students and faculties to plant a tree wherever they are and then finally on July 4 the closing ceremony of this drive will be there,” he said.