A first after becoming CM: Thackeray in Pandharpur for Ashadhi Ekadashi prayers

Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray will attend early morning prayers at the Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi on Wednesday.

Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray will attend early morning prayers at the Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi on Wednesday.

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This will be the first time Thackeray will be offering prayers at Pandharpur temple as CM of the state.

It is a long-standing tradition in Maharashtra for the CM and his spouse to attend the morning prayers at the Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Despite Shiv Sena being part of previous governments, the Thackeray family has never been part of this tradition as no member had contested any elections till recently. Last year, Aaditya Thackeray, the CM’s son was the first member of the family to contest and win the state Assembly elections. This year, Thackeray too got elected as a member of the Legislative Council, to retain his post as chief minister.

On Tuesday afternoon, Thackeray left to Pandharpur. He will attend special prayers at 2.20am along with his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya, who is also the environment minister.

Traditionally, lakhs of ‘warkaris’ (pilgrims) – devotees of Lord Vitthal – undertake the ‘wari’ (pilgrimage) on foot from across the state and reach Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, which falls on July 1 this year.

However, given the coronavirus outbreak, local authorities have decided to keep the celebrations low-key this year. They decided that this year, the wari, with the padukas (footprints) of Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Tukaram, and seven others will be taken to Pandharpur by bus with a limited number of people, not on foot as it is traditionally done. The district collector has also decided to close the temple to devotees between July 1 and 15, to avoid crowding.