After two years, Warkaris set to mass for Pandharpur pilgrimage

The Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune City and Pune Rural police jurisdictions have chalked out plans that comprise heavy police deployment for crowd control, traffic diversions and various security measures for the Pandharpur Wari, the pivotal annual event for Warkari sect and a celebration which is key to Maharashtra’s cultural identity.

The Palkhis or the procession of the palanquins carrying the Paduka or revered symbolic footwear of Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, will start their three-week-long journeys on June 20 and June 21 from the temple towns of Dehu and Alandi and are slated to reach Pandharpur on July 10.

Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi is slated to embark on its journey to the pilgrimage centre at Pandharpur from the temple town of Dehu in Pune district on Monday. As per the tradition, the Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi will be halting at Inamdar Wada in Dehu at night and reach Akurdi in Pimpri Chinchwad on Tuesday. The Palkhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj will begin its journey from Alandi on Tuesday. It will halt at Gandhi Wada in Alandi for the night.

🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨

Both processions would arrive in Pune city on Wednesday afternoon. The two Palkhis will rest in Pune on Thursday — Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi at Nivdunga Vitthal Mandir and Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi at  the Palkhi Vithoba Mandir. On Friday morning, both processions will resume their journeys from Pune towards Pandharpur.

These processions are accompanied by a large number of Warkaris and devotees from across Maharashtra and even outside who take this 21 day journey on foot, either in entirety or partially. The Warkaris have already flooded Alandi and Dehu. “This time, Warkaris, numbering over 3-5 lakhs, will head from Dehu to Pandharpur,” Nitin More, who heads the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Sansthan, Dehu, said.

The Pune district administration and the police are also expecting a huge turnout as the Pandharpur Wari is happening without any restrictions for the first time after two years because of the pandemic.

The two starting points of the Palkhis — Dehu and Alandi town — fall within the jurisdiction of Pimpri Chinchwad police. Ankush Shinde, police commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad, said, “We have chalked out an elaborate plan for crowd control in and around the temples and on the routes of the Palkhis. Considering past incidents of theft and pickpocketing, dedicated teams have been deployed on these routes. As we have to close some roads for general traffic, arrangements have been made for traffic diversions through alternate routes. We are also deploying drone cameras for monitoring the passage of processions on their respective routes.”

On Tuesday, the movement of heavy vehicles from Dehu Phata to Bhakti Shakti Chowk will be diverted via Dehu Phata to Katraj Bypass from 6 am. Traffic from Bhakti Shakti Chowk to Dehu Phata will be routed via Khandoba Mal, officials said.

Joint Commissioner of Police for Pune City Police jurisdiction, Sandeep Karnik, said, “Around 4,000 officers and personnel will be deployed all along the routes and at places of halt for the Palkhis in Pune City. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad will be deployed for conducting checks. Quick response teams will also be on stand-by. Dedicated teams from the crime branch will be pressed into action to prevent cases of thefts, pickpocketing and chain snatching. Traffic diversions have been enforced in Pune City to ensure that the Palkhi routes are isolated from traffic and at same time commuters can use alternate routes.”