Pandharpur spirit comes to Delhi: BJP chief joins 800-year-old devotional tradition

BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva joined hundreds in the celebration, highlighting the 800-year-old tradition started by Sant Gyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram.

Celebrating a centuries-old tradition rooted in devotion and community spirit, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party President Virendraa Sachdeva joined hundreds of participants in the fifth symbolic Pandharpur Yatra held in the national capital.

The event mirrors the annual Pandharpur Wari in Maharashtra, one of India's most well-known pilgrimages, dedicated to Lord Vitthal. Speaking to ANI during the event, Sachdeva said, “This is Pandharpur yatra that is carried out all over in Maharashtra with lot of excitement and devotion. This is an 800-year-old tradition that was started by Sant Gyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram.”

He added, “This is our 5th wari (Yatra) in Delhi. We have been trying continually to organise such Yatras in Delhi where everyone can participate. We celebrate this Yatra of Vitthal with a lot of excitement and faith.”

The Pandharpur Wari, also known as the Pandharpur Yatra, is a major Hindu pilgrimage that brings together thousands of devotees, known as Warkaris. Every year, they walk around 250 kilometres to reach the holy town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra.

Held in honour of Lord Vitthal, a form of Lord Vishnu, and his consort Rukmini, the Wari has been followed for centuries. It is closely associated with the teachings and lives of revered saints like Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, who are credited with starting and popularising the tradition.

Large processions, known as Palkhis, begin from the towns of Dehu and Alandi--birthplaces of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar. These processions carry the sacred footwear (padukas) of the saints and are followed by thousands of devotees.

This year, the Palkhi of Sant Tukaram set off from Dehu on June 18, 2025, while the Palkhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar departed from Alandi on June 19, 2025. The pilgrimage ends in Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, which falls on July 6, 2025.

Throughout the Wari, devotees sing traditional devotional songs called abhangas, perform kirtans, and chant the name of Lord Vitthal. Many also take a holy dip in the Chandrabhaga River before seeking blessings at the Shree Vitthal Rukmini temple by touching the feet of the Vithoba idol.