E-Paper
No procession in Pune dist this year; palkhis to reach Pandharpur by bus
The decision was taken by the state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a review meeting held at the Council Hall in the city on Friday
There will be no process and the palkhis (palanquins) of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram maharaj, will reach Pandharpur by bus, due to the safety concerns of warkaris (pilgrims) amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was taken by the state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a review meeting held at the Council Hall in the city on Friday.
Also, only 100 devotees would be allowed for the “Palkhi Prasthan” ceremony at Dehu and Alandi.
Every year in June, lakhs of pilgrims from Maharashtra participate in the palkhi procession. The procession embarks from the pilgrim centres of Alandi and Dehu in Pune district and the pilgrims march through the day and rest at night, reaching Pandharpur after a fortnight.
“Just like last year this year too the procession will be simple. My humble request to the leaders is to not politicise the issue. The safety of people is the top priority,” said Pawar.
“Only ten prestigious palkhis in the state will be allowed to go to Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, via Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses,” he said.
“Last year too due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the state, we had cancelled the procession,” he said.
“This year also along with each procession only 40 warkaris will be allowed in the bus. Also, for the “Ringan” and “Rath” ceremony only ten warkaris will be allowed. For the Palkhi Prasthan ceremony from Dehu and Alandi 100 warkaris will be allowed inside the temple,” added Pawar.
Vikas Dhage Patil, trustee of the Alandi temple committee, said, “Warkaris are always with the government and follow the orders, but it would have been good if we were allowed to carry out the procession this year. We hope that next year we can celebrate the wari with more enthusiasm.”
Before the pandemic, annually more than three to four lakh warkaris join in several Dindis (group of warkaris) with the Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi which starts from Alandi and Dehu village respectively.
There are around 250 registered Dindis (group of warkaris) who follow the palkhi on its way to Pandharpur and lakhs of warkaris walk in the processions. Dindis from across Maharashtra start coming to Alandi and Dehu a week before the starting day and then both the villages are crowded with warkaris.
