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| PALKHI
FESTIVAL |
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| Celebration of
:
1000 years old Tradition |
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| Two Palkhis :
Tukaram Palkhi from Dehu
and The Dayaneshwar Palkhi from Alandi. |
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| Duration :
22 days |
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| In the month
of :
Ashadh (June - July) and Kartik (November -
December) |
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| Palkhi, a unique feature of Maharashtrian
culture, is a 1000-year-old tradition followed by the warkaris (people who
follow the wari, a fundamental ritual). People collectively go singing and
dancing, chanting Dnyanba-Tukaram in what are called as Dindis (organised group
of warkaris) to the holy town of Pandharpur in Hindu months of Ashadh
(June-July) and Karthik (November-December). |
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| The Palkhi starts in the month of Jyeshth
(June) and the whole process lasts a total of 22 days. Every year on the
eleventh day of the first half of the month of Ashadh, the Palkhi reaches
Pandharpur. Every saint, right from Sant Dnyaneshwar to Sant Tukaram was
following the wari tradition. |
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The History
In the year 1685, Narayan baba,
the youngest son of Tukaram was a man of innovative spirit and decided to bring
about a change in the dindi-wari tradition by introducing the Palkhi, which is
a sign of social respect. He put the silver padukas (footsteps) of Tukaram in
the Palkhi and proceeded with his dindi to Alandi where he put the padukas of
Dnyaneshwar in the same Palkhi. This tradition of twin Palkhis went on every
year, but in 1830 there were some disputes in the family of Tukaram, concerned
with rights and privileges. Following this, some thoughtful persons decided to
break-up the tradition of twin Palkhis and organise here after, two separate
Palkhis - Tukaram Palkhi from Dehu and the Dnyaneshwar Palkhi from Alandi.
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| From that time till date, both the Palkhis
meet in Pune for a brief halt and then diverge at Hadapsar to meet again at
Wakhri, a village nearby to Pandharpur.
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| Along with times, the popularity of this
ancient tradition has soared immensely. A total of approximately 1.5 lakh
devotees proceed along with the Sant Tukaram Palkhi from Dehu village, while a
total of 2.25 lakh devotees march along with the Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi. At
present a total of 43 Palkhis including the above two visit Pandharpur every
year. |
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