I had walked for almost 7 hours
now, walking from one Dindi(a group
of Varkaris from one place) to
another clicking pictures and chatting with my fellow Varkaris (pilgrims). The simple joy of being photographed was
visible on their faces and that was humbling.
In wee hours of the morning . . .
the journey started from BhavaniPeth (in the heart of old Pune) early morningwith
the SantDyaneshwarPalkhi (palanquin).
Hordes of people were waiting on the way to get a glimpse of the Palkhi.
The atmosphere was filled with positive energy,devotional music, chants
of DyanbaTukaramand dance - this made the journey through sweltering heat easy.
245 kilometers in 21 days.What
counts?The journey?Or the destination?People come from all over Maharashtra and northern
Karnataka. They brave the blazing sun or lashing rains on their way to Pandharpur-
where their GOD resides.
During my walk:
I was fascinated with this mass
procession of hardiness, devotion and spirituality – devoid of any pretense of glamor.
They walk, and walk fast. There is a certain urgency and focus in the gait. I
try to analyze from my limited purview and urban upbringing the correlation between
hardships and pilgrimage. Varkari! They
were mostly simple people with very few belongings and scant means of
livelihood. Everybody is ‘Mauli’ (GOD) for
them. This stems from the belief of this Sampradaya (sect) that GOD dwells in
everybody.
The tradition dates back to 13th
century and has roots in Vaishnavism. (followers of Vishnu/Krishna;Vithoba
being one of the reincarnations of Vishnu). Their worship is through ‘Bhajan/Kirtan’
(devotional verses written for GOD). Through these Bhajans/Kirtans, saints like
SantDyaneshwar and SantTukaram(who were also Varkaris) communicated the
philosophy of life to the common man. Soon these became part of culture and to date
carry great importance in Maharashtrian cultural and musical heritage.
The Palkhi tradition was later
introduced by Sant Tukaram’s son Narayan Baba in 1685 as a mark of respect for
both Sant Tukaram and Sant Dyaneshwar, who brought in a lot of social change
through their contributions. Their silver Paduka (footsteps) are placed in Palkhis at Dehu and Alandi respectively.
Both Palkhis meet in Pune and from there
proceed to a village called Wakhari near Pandharpur.
Anywhere between 1-2 lakh Varkaris walk with the Palkhis. Around 45Dindis (groups of Varkaris
from different places) cover this distance. Each Dindi has Vaishnavas(men
clad in white clothes who sing Kirtans
and Bhajans), a woman carrying water
in a Handa (traditional utensil to
carry drinking water for the Vaishnavas),
and one woman carrying Tulsi-Vrindavan (a pot with an Indian basil plant) which
is carried from their home to meet the GOD.
Over a period of time many more traditions
got attached to Vari one of that is Ringan and Dhavawhere a sacred horse (MaulinchaAshva)
runs through the circle formed by the Varkaris.
Such unique ways of expressions make the Vari
tradition very popular. Pune has been hosting Varkaris for years together, many households, individuals and
businesses take care of shelter, food, medication, medical treatment and some
also provide useful items like sleeping mats, bags and raincoats to protect
them from sun.
Something that needs to be stopped urgently
is the gross commercialization of this event, where people use this as a
canvas to advertise their products and services or get political mileage through
banners. This gesture is so short termed and does not do any good to the
recipients. It sets a wrong precedent, litters the roads with food wastage and
plastic. All this money can be used for something more long term like building
infrastructure in Pandharpur to cater to the needs of Varkaris or building shelters and toilets on the way to take care
of their sanitary needs.
On my way back home, sitting in a
comfortable A/C car made me feel guilty while my fellow varkari’s were braving
the heat in make shift tents or in the shadow of a tree. The seven hours on the
road was just one part of the actual spiritual journey…which continues.
