Hundreds of Puneites joined the lakhs of warkaris (pilgrims) from the palkhis (palanquins) of Sant Dynaneshwar and Sant Tukaram, as the city bid adieu to the palkhis early on Monday morning.
The city group comprised young devotees, students and fitness enthusiasts, most of who walked along with the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi up to the Dive Ghat on the Saswad Road.
Puneites had gathered all along the Pune-Solapur Road, many with bananas, tea and biscuits to be offered to the warkaris as they left the city at 6:30 am.
While the Sant Tukaram palkhi proceeded along the Pune-Solapur Road towards Urali Kanchan, the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi turned towards the Dive Ghat to head for Saswad en route to Pandharpur.
The mood was upbeat on the Dive Ghat, as the warkaris seemed recharged and ready to continue their journey. "We were looked after very well in the city no matter where we went.People provided us with health care, stitched clothes, footwear on top of providing lodging and food facilities,'' said Ramabai Paigude, a warkari from Nashik district.
The multitude of warkaris on the ghat was a sea of saffron and made a pretty picture. Everywhere you saw, there were warkaris walking and running to keep pace with their dindis (groups). The energy of old warkaris, men and women alike was infectious, some of whom played fugdi or simply sang abhangs with joy and merriment.
Several young men and women could be spotted everywhere. "I can hardly remember seeing so many young people at the wari before. Now, young women are also taking part in almost equal numbers,'' said Datta Shelar, a middle aged fitness enthusiast who joined the wari from Bhavani Peth. "I walk till Saswad from Bhavani Peth every year. This journey rejuvenates a sense of being a devotee and also helps me to exercise,'' said Shelar.
The Dive Ghat was a sea of activity. On the right side of the road, there was intense truck traffic as the trucks transported utensils, cylinders and sick warkaris.
The left side of the road witnessed a sea of humanity and it was impossible to guess the total number of warkaris leaving the city.
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