Areas near Vitthal Mandir, Wadala, seemed more like a fair. Besides bhajan-singing devotees, and serpentine queues of people waiting for darshan, there were numerous stalls set up so that people could buy whatever they liked.
Bhakti, or devotion, overflowed on to the city's streets as crowds of people sang bhajans in praise of lord Vitthala and thronged temples on the holy day of Ashadhi Ekadashi. 'Dindis' or processions were taken out, and as a result there was devotional singing even in public modes of transport, such as city trains. Other commuters clicked pictures as the devotees sang and clinked miniature cymbals together.
Areas near Vitthal Mandir, Wadala, seemed more like a fair. Besides bhajan-singing devotees, and serpentine queues of people waiting for darshan, there were numerous stalls set up so that people could buy whatever they liked.
"The celebrations started as early as Sunday morning. We have had people coming continuously since then. There are around 40 Dindis that will be given one hour each to perform inside the temple premises. This will go on till Monday midnight," said Sashikant Naik, trustee of Prati-Pandharpur Shri Vitthal Mandir, Wadala.
Such was the crowd at the temple that darshan was available only after a wait of two or three hours. "I have been waiting for an hour now. I come here every year, and will not leave without taking darshan of the Lord," said Anil Parab, resident of Ghatkopar, who had taken a day off to be at the temple.
Parab is no exception. A number of people, particularly the city's dabbawallas, who are from the Warkari sect, take as many as two days off. The two days are set aside for devotional gatherings and bhajan programmes.
At the temple, there was plenty of singing inside the foyer in front of Lord Vitthala's effigies. Chandrakant Gogade's Dindi of over 25 people was singing. "We have been coming here for the past 25 years," Gogade said. His group had a few people dressed up in the attire of Sant Tukaram, the 16th century poet, who was famously a devotee of Lord Vitthala.
Many had come with their families in tow. "For Ashadi Ekadashi I come here and for Kartiki Ekadashi we go to Pandharpur," said Santosh Kamtekar, who had come with his mother and sister. The day also saw first-timers who had felt the pull of devotion this year. Bharti Varge, who had tagged along with her neighbor and Lord Vitthala devotee Komar Suryawanshi, was one such. "Every year I would fast, but this time I decided to join her for darshan," said Varge.
Those who couldn't visit temples sang bhajans in the train and at the stations. "Following our daily schedule, we get in at Borivli by 8.57 am and come to Churchgate, singing bhajans all the way. Today was the same. Only now we will also be doing the 'Ringan' at the ticket area, and then head back," said Vasant Sridhar Prabhu of Shri Lokemama Railway Pravasi Bhajan Mandal.
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