Social Implications of Two Hindu Pilgrimages in Maharashtra
Chihiro Koiso

Introduction
There are two well-known pilgrimages in the state of Maharashtra, western India. One is the
Pandharpur, held at fixed times, and the other is the Aṣtavināyaka (eight Gaṇeśa). The former iscomparatively arduous and regimented, while the latter is more personal and pleasure oriented.
Maharashtra has eight temples sacred to Gaṇeśa (collectively known as the astavinayaka), alllocated within a hundred-kilometre radius of the city of Pune. The aṣtavināyaka is a popularpilgrimage comprising a visit to all eight of these Gaṇeśa temples. Attracting many pilgrims, bothpilgrimages contribute to the regional identity of Maharashtra. This paper shows that these two
Hindu pilgrimages in Maharashtra are useful examples to help better understand the role ofpilgrimage in modern India.

Figure 1. Taken from The Experience of Hinduism, ed. by E. Zelliot and M. Berntsen.

Pilgrimage fits within important Hindu practices that encompass fasting vigils, bathing insacred rivers, attending religious fairs, and feeding and bestowing gifts on Brahmins. The Hindu
term for pilgrimage is tīrtha-yātrā, which literally means “undertaking a journey to a holy place orriver.” Monier-Williams define the term tīrtha (root tr) as “a passage, way, road, ford, stairs forlanding or for descent into a river, bathing-place, [or] place of pilgrimage on the banks of a sacredstream [or] piece of water.” S.R. Bhardwaj clearly stated the meaning of pilgrimage: “pilgrimage,- 99 -

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though not one of the major recognized paths of achieving mokṣa (liberation), is neverthelessaccepted as desirable practice to earn religious merit within a life lived according to dharma. It is
one of the numerous ways toward self-realization and bliss”.1 According to orthodox Hindu
tradition, journeys to various sacred places and temples are an important means of begetting punya(merit). Most sacred places are situated at the confluence of sacred rivers, whose waters are
believed to absolve sins, and bestow merit.

Gaṇeśa Worship in Maharashra
The Mahābhārata (one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India) mentions thatVināyaka (Gaṇeśa) has been specially deputed to present benefits to those poor who deserve
recognition of their good deeds.2 According to Courtright, “Gaṇeśa is fundamentally a mediating
figure between the divine realm and the domain of human concerns and aspirations. Throughdevotion to Gaṇeśa, who is at once the Lord of Obstacles and the Remover of Obstacles, thedevotee hopes to pass beyond such encumbrances to an experience of temporary religious
fulfilment, or minimally to achieve success in a specific undertaking.”3 Traditionally, Gaṇeśa
occupies the first place in any pūjā (ritual of worship), being the first God to be worshiped before
any religious or social ceremony. Gaṇeśa is a particularly well-known deity in the Hindu pantheon
as a son of Lord Śiva and Pārvati. Devotions involving Gaṇeśa are usually performed at the homeand community levels, with worshippers invoking Gaṇeśa to protect them from obstacles.
For the people of Maharashtra, Gaṇeśa is very special deity. Historically Gaṇeśa was akula-daivat (clan deity) for the Peśvā rulers of Maharashtra. The Gaṇeśa festival begins on caturthī(the fourth day) of the bright half of the lunar-solar month of Bhādrapad (around
August-September), and is the most colourful and enthusiastically observed among the various
festivals celebrated in Maharashtra. The festival derives from a religious celebration connected tofamily traditions in the pre-independence era, which well-known nationalist and independence
fighter, Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) converted into a social event designed to strengthen
national integration and unite people against British rule. This strategy worked well because the
British Government could not restrict religious celebrations for fear of antagonizing the
population.
The Gaṇeśa Festival lasts ten days, and sees large Gaṇeśa effigies installed throughout thecity as well as a series of cultural programs. The festivities reach their climax on the last day when
an immersion procession takes over the main streets of the city. The procession lasts for about
thirty six hours, in the course of which people dance tirelessly in front of the idol. Over the years
the duration of the immersion procession has grown longer, which indicates increasing
participation of people in the festival.
1

S.R. Bhardwaj, Hindu Places of Pilgrimage in India (Delhi: Thomson Press, 1973), p. 3.
C. Singh, Ganesa (New Delhi: Crest Publishing House, 1996), p. 80.
3
P.B. Courtright, Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985),
p. 85.
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The Aṣtavināyaka Pilgrimage
Pune was the capital of the Marāṭha state ruled by the Peśvās (Brāhman rulers of theMarāṭha) and its only significant urban concentration prior to the British conquest. Since the earlyeighteenth century the city has been the cultural capital of Maharashtra. The city’s inhabitants
worshiped Gaṇeśa as a family deity (kuladevata), supporting the Aṣtavināyaka temples as centresof this cult. It is generally accepted that the Aṣtavināyaka temples rose to prominence during thePeśvās era (the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries). While the current temple structures date tothis period, the sites themselves were considered sacred since earlier times.4
Although Pune ceased to be a political capital after the British conquest, it retained a
distinctive place in the life of Maharashtra. The city’s cultural identity engendered nationalist
politics, regularly frustrating the British. As I mentioned above, B.G. Tilak and other nationalists
established a new community festival to foster Hindu solidarity with Gaṇeśa at its core. Thus a
festival that had previously been a private and domestic affair developed into the largest
community festival in Maharashtra.
Gaṇeśa is considered to be, among other things, gaṇapati (leader of the group), gajānan (theone who has the head of an elephant), vighneśvar (the king of obstacles), mangalamūrti (the one
who has a holy appearance), moreśvar (God of peacocks), ekadanta (the one who has one tusk),
vighnahartā (the remover of obstacles), sukhakartā (the one who creates happiness and peace),and dukhhahartā (the one who removes pain and sadness). These names symbolize the many
facets of this deity. One commentator described Gaṇeśa as follows: “As the scribe of the
Mahābhārata, he embodies wisdom, yet also mischief. He is considered fierce and warrior-like,yet benign and beneficent. Effectively, he is an ambivalent god, ideally thought of as lying on thethreshold of the divine and mundane realms by Hindu devotees.”5
Associated particularly with trade and prosperity, Gaṇeśa enjoys popularity throughout India.
The popular image of Gaṇeśa endows him with human qualities and casts him as the mostaccessible of the Gods, and hence the favourite God among humans. The physical features ofGaṇeśa are also peculiar, with his elephant head and big belly, as well as his typical pose seated ona small mouse, full of mischief, wit and wisdom. Many myths associated with local shrines toGaṇeśa focus on how he realizes the desires of worshippers.6 The secret to the popularity ofGaṇeśa lies in his manifold character and the hope of worldly rewards. Many devotees explicitly
state that Gaṇeśa is a God that rewards devotees properly.
Although many Gaṇeśa shrines spread throughout Maharashtra, the tradition of Gaṇeśa
worship is centred on the Aṣtavināyaka — a particular group of eight Vināyakas (Gaṇeśa) temples
around the city of Pune. In the sacred geography of the Gaṇeśa tradition, they form a manḍala
4

A.R. Thapan, Understanding Ganapati (New Delhi: Manohar, 1997), p. 203.
P.B. Courtright, “The Ganesh Festival in Maharashtra: Some Observations,” in E. Zelliot and M. Berntsen, eds.,
The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra (Albany: State University of New York Press,
1988), pp. 84-85.
6
Courtright, Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings, p. 210.
5

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around Pune. All eight temples contain so-called svayambhū (self-manifested images) that are said
to have spontaneously appeared to devotees in the form of elephant-faced stones. Devotional
literature and temple guidebooks suggest that pilgrims visit all eight temples on a single
pilgrimage (yātra), claiming that the merit obtainable from the auspicious sight (darśana) of theeight images far exceeds that from a visit to a single temple. The pilgrimage to these eight temples
is considered a circumambulation (pradakṣiṇā) of the boundaries of the sacred cosmos in thepresence of Gaṇeśa.7 Reflecting this belief, at most of the Aṣtavināyaka shrines the day of caturthi
is marked by a procession where the utsav mūrti (festival idol) is taken on a pālkī (palanquin)
either around the village or in four different directions radiating from the village centre.8
As the eight temples stand some distance from one another, nowadays travel agencies arrange
plenty of pilgrimage buses. Every Friday a bus starts from Mumbai and visits Mohad, Pali and
Ranjangaon before staying overnight at Pune. On Saturday, pilgrims visit Theur, Siddhatek andMoregaon, along with other holy temples before another overnight stay. Finally, they spend
Sunday on visits to Ozar and Lenyadri before they return to Mumbai. The entire three-day,
two-night package tour costs approximately Rs.2550 (about US$50). Similar tours also departfrom Pune and other centres in Mharashtra. These tours are usually weekend excursions, andrecently this pilgrim tourism has become enormously popular. The trip has become increasingly
accessible, as the number of days required for the Aṣtavināyaka pilgrimage has decreased and thecost has become more affordable, which has been facilitated by infrastructural developments, suchas improved roads and transportation, and various facilities at the places of pilgrimage.
Simultaneously, the pilgrimage has become more pleasurable and now provides a good weekend
family escape. The increasing number of pilgrims furthers the growth of local small businesses
selling souvenirs in the form of Gaṇeśa idols, photos and other merchandise. Prasāda, or holy
food offered to the deity, is an important part of Hindu tradition. Near the temples many local
people have begun to sell prasāda, which usually take the form of sweets made of condensed milk
and sugar.

The Pandharpur Pilgrimage
Another important well-known pilgrimage in Maharashtra is the Pandharpur. This pilgrimage
takes place during the Hindu month of Āṣāḍha on the day of ekādāśī (the eleventh day of the third
month of the lunar calendar). Every year, thousands of devotees walk a route in western
Maharashtra that runs from Alandi (32 kilometres north of Pune) to Pandharpur (250 kilometres tothe southeast). The sole focus of the pilgrims is to reach Pandharpur and offer their respects to
Lord Viṭṭhal (the reincarnation of Viṣṇu in the form of Kṛṣṇa). The journey generally takes
eighteen to twenty days to complete. During the pilgrimage season, braving both scorching heatand heavy rains, the pilgrims sway and dance to hymns accompanied by the sounds of countless
7
8

Courtright, Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings, p. 211.
Thapan, Understanding Ganapati, p. 227- 102 -

Social Implications of Two Hindu Pilgrimages in Maharashtra

tāls (small cymbals), ektārs (a stringed instrument with a dried gourd as its sound-box) andmṛdangs (drums), all of which creates an enchanting atmosphere. Non-stop chants of “JñyānobāTukārām” (the names of two prominent saint-poets in Maharashtra) are on the lips of devotees.
The Pandharpur pilgrimage is simultaneously known as yātrā (pilgrimage), vārī (a regularpilgrimage to Viṭṭhal’s temple in Pandharpur) and pālkhī. The word ‘pālkhī’ clearly connotes thefunction of this pilgrimage. The literal meaning of pālkhī is a palanquin carrying the pādukā
(footprints) of a saint-poet as a means of symbolizing their spiritual presence. According to one
author, “. . . the pole is covered with silver plating, the seat is inlaid with precious metals and theframework is finely carved. Its weight is considerable and eight or ten men are required to carry iton their shoulders. During the journey, it is placed on a four wheeled bullock cart dragged by twostrong bullocks.”9 The bullock cart is also adorned like a chariot. Whenever the pālkhī arrives at atown, it is taken down from the chariot and carried on the shoulders of male pilgrims. The bullock
cart carrying the palanquin is the main attraction of the entire pilgrimage, and draws many visitors,
tourists and locals seeking a darśana (audience), touching their foreheads, and receiving blessings.

Figure 2. Route map of Pilgrimage. The Alandi-Pandharpur Pilgrimage route
Taken from the Master thesis of Prajakta Sane, “Experiential Shaping of Public Space during
Pilgrimage: The Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhi,” University of New South Wales, 2007.

Gathering under the pālkhī of a specific saint-poet, pilgrims feel as if this saint were withthem, an experience that sustains the vigour of the eight hundred year old tradition of the vārīpilgrimage. The oldest and biggest pālkhī is that of Jñāneśvar (1275-96), a prominent saint-poet
who significantly contributed to Maharashtrian culture. Jñāneśvar commented on the
Bhāgavadgītā in Marathi and wrote philosophical works. He also left numerous beautiful poems
called abhaṅgas (poems praising Lord Viṭṭhal) to express his philosophical thoughts. These
9

G.A. Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā (Poona: Deccan College, 1960), p. 82.

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Chihiro Koisoabhaṅgas have been sung for generations and remain very popular among the people ofMaharashtra. It has been said that Jñāneśvar completed his work in this life and attained
renouncement in Alandi, a small town located on the bank of the river Indrayani. There is a templeof Jñāneśvar in Alandi where he is believed to be meditating even today. Notably, Jñāneśvar
inspired a tradition among his adherents and worshippers of singing abhaṅgas while traveling thepilgrimage route. This tradition conveys the legend of Jñāneśvar who used to walk barefoot with aflag in his hands, maintaining a fast throughout the journey.
Each pālkhī is divided into diṅḍī, small groups that move together under specific saints’pālkhīs. Diṅḍī are groups of pilgrims typically structured around professions, castes, or a particularvillage associated with a prominent saint. The number of Vārkārīs (pilgrims) in a diṅḍī may varyfrom 100 to 1000. The procession is arranged so that the oldest diṅḍī are closest to the pālkhī. The
pālkhī is normally positioned between the various diṅḍī and the whole procession is led by a pairof bullocks or horses. In 2005, 26 diṅḍīs stood before the pālkhī with 250 behind it. Currently the
pālkhī committee, which is responsible for the entire pilgrimage, oversees management,
coordination and space allocation issues.10
In 1991, I participated in a diṅḍī named “Deshmukh Mahārāj diṅḍī” — named after aprominent Vārkarī. The diṅḍī had a head managing all logistical matters including food,accommodation (sometimes simply an open space, or sometimes a school or public hall), andhandling the entire luggage to allow the pilgrims to concentrate on walking. Driving a chartered
truck, the diṅḍī head arrived at each daily resting place ahead of the main group so as to prepare
and serve meals. This diṅḍī, known as a Brahman diṅḍī, generously accepted us foreigners into
their group. Their only requirement was that we wear solā (a waistcloth for men) and saṛī(traditional women’s dress) during meals. Before joining a diṅḍī one must be vaccinated against
typhoid and cholera and submit the vaccination certificate. For the entire eighteen-day pilgrimage I
paid Rs.400 (about US$15).
The Pandharpur pilgrimage attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees, mostly from ruralcommunities. According to one media report, “a total of over forty pālkhīs, including Jñāneśvar
and Tukārām, visit Pandharpur every year. This year [in 2008] 275 registered diṅḍīs (or more if
unregistered diṅḍīs are counted as well) and two lakh devotees are marching along the route to
Pandharpur. The total number of pilgrims is less than the previous year. It is due to scanty rainfall
and high inflation that has made it unaffordable for [the] poor who normally undertake thispilgrimage after the sowing season is over.”11
All pālkhīs set out from their own starting points (usually the birthplace of a saint poet or
similar) and meet at Vakhri, a village near Pandharpur, one day before Āṣāḍha ekādaśī (theeleventh day of the fourth lunar month of the Hindu calendar). This represents the last halt for thepilgrims, and after this point they combine to form a single huge pilgrimage known as the Vārī. At
the last stop in Vakhri, all diṅḍīs under pālkhīs stop at the vast field and spend the night singing
10

Prajakta Sane, “Experiential Shaping of Public Space during Pilgrimage: The Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhi,” Masterthesis for University of New South Wales, 2007, p. 103.
11
Times of India, 11 July 2008.

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Social Implications of Two Hindu Pilgrimages in Maharashtra

holy songs such as bajana and kīrtana, listening to stories from Purāṇas. The Vārī symbolizes
unshakeable faith in God in the face of hardship and the desire for salvation.

Implications of the Pandharpur Pilgrimage
One of the most important factors shaping the Indian tradition of pilgrimage is satsaṅga
(company of holy men). Satsaṅga is considered to be a chief means of moral education. When you
come in contact with men of noble character (sādhus), and share the same experiences, they will
have a moral impact on you through their behaviour and teachings. This is why in India, satsaṅga
is considered essential to moral and spiritual development.
Pilgrimage is also important because it provides spiritual input and inspiration. As E. Zelliot
described, “the Pandharpur pilgrimage has features in common with other pilgrimages — the senseof oneness with other pilgrims, the joyous quality of both the journey and the arrival at the centre,
V. Turner’s idea of catchment into which many streams flow, and of course the importance of thesite itself — it is in many ways unique.”12 Two significant factors reinforcing the spiritual elationof the bhaktas (devotees) are the holiness of the places themselves as well as satsaṅga. To visit
holy places with holy men benefits the moral development of ordinary men. Therefore, masspilgrimage has a cumulative effect on the human mind, presumably serving as a seed of religious
education. Pilgrimage helps people confirm their religious conviction and offer mutual
encouragement to each other. Thus, the process of pilgrimage, namely people walking up to a holy
place, is comparable to the process through which a sādhaka (ascetic) attains God.
The Bhāgavata sampradāya (a religious sect comprising the followers of Lord Viṣṇu) of
Maharashtra, refers to pilgrims as Vārkarī. To be Vārkarī means to undertake vārī, and pilgrimage
itself is the main aim of Vārkarī. Considering the meaning of undertaking the pilgrimage
inevitably leads us to examine the practice of Vārkarī sampradāya （religious sect）as a good
example of its actual manifestation of the word Vārkarī. The term Vārkarī itself apparently derives
from the practice of pilgrimage. According to Deleury, “the word Vārkarī is composed of the twowords ‘vārī’ and ‘karī’. ‘vārī’ has a very definite and almost technical meaning. The root ‘vārī’means ‘time’ as in the expressions ‘three times’, ‘four times’ and so on. So, ‘vārī’ stands for the
regular occurrence of the pilgrimage to Pandharpur, the annual going to and coming from thatsacred place. ‘karī’ means the one who does; ‘Vārkarī’ therefore means one who journeys to
Pandharpur at the fixed time.”13
The main practice of Vārkarī is pilgrimage. A Vārkarī is supposed to go on the pilgrimage to
Pandharpur twice a year. Moreover, this should be done in the spirit of fulfilling a happy promisewith Lord Viṭṭal rather than as an obligation. No special sanctions from the Vārkarī sect exist for
those members who do not undertake regular pilgrimage, for Vārkarī are enthusiastic aboutpilgrimage and never willingly miss such opportunities. Vārkarīs like to say that if one of them is
12

Eleanor Zelliot, “A Historical Introduction to the Wārkāri Movement,” in D.B. Mokashi, Palkhi: An Indian
Pilgrimage, tr.by P.C. Engblom (Albany: State University of New York Press ,1987), p. 33.
13
Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, p. 2.

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not seen on the pilgrimage he must be dead or dying. Vārkarī sampradāya is a self-disciplined
mass pilgrimage born not out of any religious code but out of the enthusiastic devotion of the
Vārkarīs, the most devoted devotees of Lord Viṭṭal; they love the road, and walking in unison,because it leads to their heart’s desire — Pandharpur.14
According to Deleury’s definition of the Vārkarī, “he is a man who although living in the
midst of his family and carrying on his profession or trade has pledged himself to reach mokṣa
(final liberation) through the way of bhakti (exclusive love for God) and by devotion to LordKṛṣṇa in the form of Viṭhobā of Pandharpur, and to go on pilgrimage to that place every year atfixed times, guided on the road by the society of the saints. He is also a strict vegetarian.”15
Vārkarī sampradāya is unique in many ways. First of all, devotees have nothing comparable
to a church. While the Viṭhobā temple in Pandharpur is the symbol for their worship, it does not
function as a church. The annual pilgrimage is the only time when the Vārkarīs and other devotees
gather, making it the most characteristic aspect of this sampradāya. The sampradāya followers
strictly observe vegetarianism, wearing tulsimālā (rosary made of basil wood) to mark their
Vārkarī status. The participation in this pantha (literally a ‘way’, here meaning a group of people
following the same ‘way’ towards liberation) requires no special initiation ceremony. Thosewishing to become Vārkarīs simply express their desire to join the pantha in front of the leader of
one of the Vārkarī groups. As Deleury described, “he must bring a rosary of ‘tulsī’ beads which theguru tells him to put on the book of Jñāneśvarī (a sacred book of Commentary on Bhagavadgītā
by Jñāneśvar), set on a low table in front of him. The candidate then pledges himself to go
regularly to Pandharpur on the fixed dates, and to live a straightforward life consistent with the
Hindu concept of ‘dharma’ (duty). Thereupon the guru places the tulsīmālā round his neck, andgives him spiritual advice, enjoining him to lead a life of service and respect to the saints, and toobserve all Mondays, as well as the two ekādaśīs (the eleventh day of the Hindu lunar calendar) as
days of fast.”16
There is no esoteric ceremony required to become Vārkarīs. Embracing people from manysocial strata, the pantha is open to everybody capable of abiding by its basic regulations. E. Zelliot
identified three elements of Vārkarī tradition: “implicit criticism of Brahmanical narrowness,egalitarianism in spiritual matters, and family-centred life.”17 Even householders can practice
bhakti in Vārkarī sampradāya. Inclusiveness seems to be the main reason for the popularity ofVārkarī sampradāya. Deleury also noted this aspect of the pilgrimage: “the mokṣa promised bybhakti is open to all, its method of purification is possible for all and not restricted to the fortunate
few who are able to leave the world and isolate themselves in forests or deserted places.”18
Seekers of the Ultimate Reality do not have to go into the forest. Pilgrimage is easy and accessible
to all kinds of people. Anyone willing to undertake the pilgrimage and maintain strict
14

S.K. Neurgaokar, Pālkhī Sohalā; Alandi Devāsthān (Pune: Alandi Devasthan Prakashan, 2001), p. 21.
Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, p. 3.
16Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, pp. 4-5.
17
Zelliot, “A Historical Introduction to the Wārkāri Movement,” p. 39.
18
Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, p. 108.
15

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vegetarianism can pursue this sādhānā (spiritual discipline or means). There is no esoteric element,
and the practice is open to all.
Deleury also argues that Vārkarī sampradāya is a collective experience: “The pilgrimage
must be considered a real ‘tapa.’ A special line of mortification will give the Vārkarī theopportunity to exercise the virtues required to practice the perfect ‘bhakti’.”19 This holy travel is asignificant occasion for Vārkarīs not only to maintain their spiritual discipline, but also to singbhajanas (devotional songs) composed by previous saint-poets and listen to kīrtana. By so doing,
Vārkarīs feel oneness with all and closeness to the great saint-poets. Vārkarī pantha can beunderstood as a spiritual group gathering around saint-poets belonging to Pandharpur. For thosefollowing Vārkarī pantha, participation in the pilgrimage is the only way to learn the teachings ofthis pantha and absorb its cultural heritage through bhajana and kīrtana.
Bhajana and kīrtana are traditionally understood as essential means to pursue bhakti.
Nowadays, bhajana means “an ascetic poem, hymn, or piece of a verse to be sung to a specificGod,” and thus involves singing for the glory of a God and simultaneously making the best use of
one’s singing ability. But the specific meaning of bhajana in Maharashtra, especially for Vārkarīsampradāya, is singing devotional songs associated with the saint-poets. Kīrtana is an expositionof the devotional text of abhaṅgas (the same as bhajanas) being narrated with the help of stories
from purāṇas (collections of old stories) and itihāsa (history). With its simple language andpeculiar storytelling method, it explains various philosophical concepts in terms intelligible to alayman. Kīrtana consists of bhajanas, abhaṅgas, and narrations. The kīrtanakara (the person who
performs the kīrtana) has to study scriptures and quote their passages from memory. As kīrtana
brings peace of mind, the performer’s first aim may be personal happiness. However, kīrtana also
induces mass ecstasy, since it shows the audience the path of Bliss. Sharing this ecstasy with otherdevotees is another important aspect of kīrtana. Kīrtana, as an intangible cultural asset of
Maharashtra, is a composite art featuring singing, storytelling, and performance.
In Vārkarī sampradāya, bhajana and kīrtana are equally accessible to all pilgrims regardlessof literacy level. The Vārkarīs learn philosophy through bhajana and kīrtana without consulting
written scriptures, which are often complex and require additional commentaries. Bhajana seem towork as an intermediary between the God and devotees. The devotees feel the immediate presenceof their God when they sing and become engrossed in bhajana. Importantly, bhajana are equallyeasy for all devotees to perform. P.C. Engblom said, “What makes bhajana so attractive as a(spiritual means) is that it is comparatively accessible to the common man or woman and does not
require esoteric disciplines. Bhajana is an act of the most complete self-abnegation and total
self-surrender to Viṭṭhal (Viṭhobā)”.20 Singing bhajana and listening to kīrtana are important not
only to approach God, but also to gain proper knowledge of the bhakti teachings and thereby adapt
the moral and spiritual disciplines to raise the cultural level of ordinary people. Previous
saint-poets have written numerous abhaṅga containing moral and philosophical teachings. Singing

19
20

Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, p. 108.
Philip C. Engblom, “Introduction,” in Mokashi, Palkhi, p. 25.

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and listening to bhajana has thus been the main means of intergenerational transmission of
Vārkarī traditions and teachings.
In recent years, the state authorities have begun to use Vārī for mass communication. Whenthe pilgrims halt for rests and overnight stays on their way to Pandharpur, traditional Marathi folksongs and music performances are organized to raise consciousness of disaster management andhealth issues. This practice provides a precedent for spreading other messages, such as temperance
and family planning, through folk entertainment.
Another important aspect of the Vārkarī sampradāya is its roles in both the religious andsocial spheres. The pilgrimage functions as a powerful medium of communication broadly uniting
the people of Maharashtra. The tradition reveals social relationships among the pilgrims’ groups
and the wider society. Meanwhile, the enthusiasm and the spontaneous spirit greatly impact therural and urban areas of Maharashtra along the journey route.21 The pilgrims on their way to
Pandharpur pass through numerous villages where they stay for one or two nights. Even thevillagers, who cannot join the pilgrimage, are eligible to share the merit accumulated through thisjourney by offering the pilgrims assistance and hospitality. The villagers also enjoy the bhajana
and kīrtana. Deleury identified two main functions of Vārkarī pilgrimage: “It is a religious activity
essential in the formation of Vārkarī and, at the same time a powerful way of spreading the pantha
and promoting the religious education of the people.”22 The pilgrimage plays an important role
not only in developing individual morals, but also in promoting social awareness. It is enormously
important as a spiritual discipline.
The saint-poets preach universal, spiritual and ethical values within a broad framework of the
traditional varṇāśrama-dharma (an ordered society based on distinct social categories). All
devotees, including the illiterate, listen to the teachings of saints through bhajana and kīrtana
during the pilgrimage, and share this experience with other devotees. The Vārkarī sampradāya
provides all the discipline necessary to a Vārkarī.

Conclusion
The pilgrimages to Pandharpur and Aṣtavināyaka have recently attracted a growing numberof people of Maharashtra. They clearly have a strong desire to participate in the pilgrimages,
seeing them as an occasion to confirm their Maharashtrian identity.
The shift from a state-managed economy to a middle-class culture of consumption in India
since 1990 has brought many changes, accompanied not merely by the geographic spread of global
commodities and information, but also by social anxiety due to the rapid progress of urban areas.
This whirlwind change is epitomized by the mushrooming of urban shopping malls that are
generating so-called “mall sanskṛti (mall culture).” Frustration is increasing among the urban
masses who are too busy earning money to reflect on their own lives. For this group, one of the

21
22

V. Thakur, “The Wari to Pandharpur” paper read in an International Symposium on Pilgrimage held in 2010, p. 4.
Deleury, The Cult of Viṭhobā, p. 109.

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Social Implications of Two Hindu Pilgrimages in Maharashtra

few ways of alleviating stress is to visit shopping malls and waste money on luxuries, whichcauses further anxiety, emptiness, mental hunger and other dissatisfactions and ultimately leads toconservatism and extreme Hindu nationalism.
The meteoric urbanization and dynamic economic development have brought substantialsocial harm, such as environmental deterioration and a sharper distinction between rich and poor.
Particularly, the development of mass media, such as radio and television, and satellite
broadcasting, immerses people in a constant flood of information. Television provides instantvisual information and enormously amplifies curiosity and material desire. The modern way of life
places so much emphasis on material satisfaction that people mistakenly see superficial material
pursuits as the sole aim of life, disregarding inner spiritual thirst and traditional morals. At theindividual level, materialism perpetuates insecurity, unhappiness, and identity crises, which
accounts for the excessive desire of individuals for belonging. As a self-defence mechanism,
membership in a collective sometimes emboldens people to artificially hate other groups.
In response to all these insecurities, various pilgrimages now serve as important occasions fordisciplining individuals and solidifying their Hindu identity. The Aṣtavināyaka pilgrimage with its
relative leisure orientation may be seen as a means of pursuing worldly reward. The Pandharpur
pilgrimage in contrast attracts those seeking much deeper spiritual satisfaction, but still faces
pressures of change. The vast number of people moving during the pilgrimage season also creates
serious hygienic and logistical problems. Every year the newspapers comment on these challenges.
For example, the Times of India observed: “The primary objective of developing model camp sites
is to provide affordable and comfortable accommodation for pilgrims with required amenities suchas shelter, food, water and sanitation arrangements as an alternative to entering and congesting thetown area. Local commercial establishments have to be included in the planning to involve theirbusiness activities within the camp sites.”23
The government of Maharashtra is keenly interested in developing tourism, including both
the Aṣtavināyaka Pandharpur pilgrimages. One newspaper commented: “This annual pilgrimage
has always drawn the fascination of creative minds. Concepts of ‘Vārī tourism,’ ‘brandpromotions’ and ‘sponsored Vārī,’ which are making the rounds in business minds, could soon
become a reality in the near future.”24 Sharad Joshi, chairperson of Farmers’ Organization also
told a seminar on the Dehu Alandi-Pandharpur Pālkhī procession on 2 July 2010, “Vārī has
become an event. It is a high profile activity and politicians and marketers are closely watching thechanging Vārī. Don’t be surprised if the concept of Vārī tourism gains momentum, where people
would walk with Vārkarīs with facilities, including air conditioned tents.”25
Nevertheless, for Vārkarīs themselves, the pilgrimage to Pandharpur remains a spiritualexperience. While the commercialization of Vārī in the form of “Vārī tourism” may be inevitable,
it is unlikely to overwhelm the pilgrimage’s underlying spirituality. Despite all the problems andchanges, the pilgrims themselves completely committed to continuing their participation.
23

Times of India, 3 July 2010.
Times of India, 11 July 2010.
25
Times of India, 3 July 2010.
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