25 June,2011 06:09 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
Over 50,000 women devotees have joined the Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar Palkhis this year; while the former rally reached the outskirts of the city, the latter procession reached Wakdewadi last evening
Of the total three lakh Warkaries participating in the Palkhi processions this year, more than 50,000 are female. These women have flocked from lands far and wide across the state, including Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Alandi. 120 female members of the Sant Bahinabai Mahila Dindi drew crowds at Pimpri as they participated in the prestigious 'Ringan' celebrations last evening, in which a human circle was formed. Mangalatai Kamble, Founder and President of the Bahinabai Mahila Dindi, observed that a large number of women and young girls had joined the Palkhi this year, most of whom were educated, working women.
Kamble was accompanied in the procession by Aarti Marathe, Lata Masolkar, Ranjana Durkar, Lalita Pabalkar, Hemlata Kate, Suman Nibandhe and Prabhawati Sanke. Donors came forward to offer monetary support to this group, as the financial expenditure entailed in this 22-day-long procession to Pandharpur touches Rs 2 lakhs.u00a0u00a0
Another women's group, led by Supriya Sathe from Bijlinagar, Akurdi joined the Tukaram Palkhi, and participated in the 'Ringan' celebration.
Indomitable spirit: Lakhs of devotees from different parts of state
throng Palkhi processions in the city. PICs/ Navnath Kapale
This group consists almost entirely of college going girls from the Pimpri-Chinwad area. "There may be over 50,000 women participating collectively in both the Palkhi processions," said Kamble. Followed by a brief halt at Pimpri, the Sant Tukaram Palkhi reached the fringes of Pune, while the Dnyaneshwar Palkhi reached Wakdewadi on the Pune-Mumbai highway last evening. Two traditional Warkari Dindis (groups) from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka joined the Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi at Alandi yesterday at Gandhi Wada. The local municipal councilor Gundre Patil has made arrangements for drinking water and also set up 400 mobile toilets at Alandi.
Pralhad Jadhav, a Warkari from Osmanabad, who has been joining the Dnyeshwar Palkhi procession regularly for the 15 years, said that the dense vegetation of water hyacinth on the Indrayani River should be removed by the municipal council, so as to create space for devotees who wish to bathe in the rivers.
Info booklet
The District Collector Vikas Deshmukh has released an information booklet for Warkaries participating in both the Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram Palkhi processions. The brochure contains relevant information on hotels, water supply spots and toilet arrangements at various halts between Pune and Pandharpur. Sandeep Karnik, superintendent of the Pune Rural Police urged Warkaries to contact him on 9922100333 in the event of any law and order problem.
