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Huge crowds, tradition fervour, celebrations as palkhis arrive in Pune for two-day halt
PUNE: The palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram both came to Pune on Wednesday along with hundreds of dindis comprising lakhs of warkaris
PUNE: The palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram both came to Pune on Wednesday along with hundreds of dindis comprising lakhs of warkaris.
The Sant Tukaram palkhi started from Akurdi via the old Mumbai-Pune highway at 6 am on Wednesday, took an afternoon halt at Dapodi, and entered Pune city first from Engineering college chowk at around 6 in the evening. Whereas, the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi started from Alandi at 6 am on Wednesday, took a halt at Phulenagar, and entered the city through new Sangamwadi road at around 7pm.
With the walking wari tradition having resumed this year after a gap of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of warkaris has increased since the first day of the wari. Thousands of Punekars and people from nearby areas too have joined the palkhis to come walking to Pune. As the palkhis entered Pune city, flowers were showered on them by helicopter near the Sancheti hospital chowk where Punekars welcomed the warkaris to the city. Punekars distributed biscuits, bananas, tea and cold drinks among the warkaris. Both the palkhis passed Fergusson college road. The Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi will halt at the palkhi Vithoba mandir while the Sant Tukaram palkhi will halt at the Nivdunga Vithoba mandir with both temples located at Nana peth.
However, both palkhis were delayed this year as compared to previous years. Both palkhis reached their night halt after 10 pm. There are around 350 dindis with the Sant Dyaneshwar palkhi while there are around 321 dindis with the Sant Tukaram palkhi. Both palkhis will stay in Pune on Thursday and resume their journey to Pandharpur Friday morning.
However, the routes of both the palkhis will change from Pune. While the Sant Tukaram palkhi will take the Solapur highway, the Sant Dyaneshwar palkhi will pass Saaswad via Dive ghat to head towards Pandharpur. Both palkhis will reach Pandharpur on July 10, for the auspicious Ashadi Ekadashi to seek the blessings of Lord Pandurang.
nges, Sant Tukaram Palkhi takes the Solapur highway and Sant Dyaneshwar Palkhi goes via Dive Ghat through Saswad towards Pandharpur. Both the Palkhis will reach Pandharpur on July 10, for the holy Ashadi Ekadashi where they will meet the Lord Pandurang.
