Amidst chants of Jai Hari Vitthala and Gyanba Tukaram, Pune's Warkaris (pilgrims) are making their pilgrimage (Wari) to Pandharpur carrying along Sant Tukaram and Sant Dyaneshwar's palkhis in a procession. Seven centuries have passed, but worshippers from all the corners of Maharashtra still undertake this holy journey and most observe a fast. On the way, the Warkari will wait with the palkhi in Pune for 2-3 days. This year, they will be in Pune till today evening and then move towards Pandharpur.

A Palkhi procession

Catch them young
Interestingly, nowadays the pilgrims are younger and include several working professionals, especially IT professionals,
college students, foreigners and doctors. Renuk Pawade, who works with an IT company has been part of the IT dindi (a small group of Warkaris is called a dindi), for the last five years and says he enjoys it a lot. “It is an awesome experience. Initially, there were only four to five of us who took part in this but now there are more than 300 people who have joined us. It is almost double than last year. Taking part in this is very de-stressing,” he states.