Pandarapura is one of the important and well known piligrimage centres in Western India of Lord Vithala, said to be the avatara of Lord Krishna. On Ekadashi day of Ashada, the 4th month of Hindu Calender there happens a fair at Pandarapura where over 16 lakh devotees participate every year.
Due to Covid, for the last two years no celebrations were held at Pandarapura. However this year again the charm of the fair has been reinstalled. As many as 12 lakh people come here by walk with the extreme urge to see Lord Vithala.
This year the Ashada Ekadashi fell on Sunday July 10. The group of people who came by walk reached Pandarapura Saturday on July 9. As soon it is Ashada month, over one lakh people per day visit the place. The temple committee stops special poojas during these days so as to let devotees have an uninterrupted darshan of Lord Vithala. The beds of Lord Vithala and Rukmini will be folded and kept it at the back of the idols of Vithala and Rukmini. This signifies that Vithala does not sleep until the end of the fair. Excepting pooja hours, all the other time, the temple will be opened for devotees. This system is followed from centuries.
You can also find here people carrying footware (Paduka) of saints in the carts, which is the tradition of this place called as Varikari. Narayana Maharaja son of Saint Tukarama Maharaja is the pioneer of this tradition. He stated this in 1685. In 1820, Haibathbaba of Aland in Kalaburagi District enriched this tradition. To make it convenient for Varikari devotees six-line road has been constructed. The rooms for devotees have been constructed in the 65 acres of land on the banks of River Bheema (Chandrabhaga).
Speaking to NewsKarnataka, a devotee hailing from Dharawad, Satish Jadhav said, “Pandarapura is a world famous temple, and Varikari is the tradition that started centuries ago. Lakhs of devotees visit Pandarapura by walk, and they fast too. In my family, since our ancestors’ time we followed varikari tradition. Since last three years IT employees too are involving themselves in Varikari tradition, and they hail from Alanda. Initially there were only 10 to 15 members but now the strength has increased to over 150 members. Thanks to social media Pandarapura is getting more and more famous.”
As per the tradition, the first pooja on Ashada Ekadashi is performed by Chief Minister of Maharashtra. And this time, Ekanath Shindhe offered special pooja to Lord Vithala at Pandarapura.
