Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad will miss the spectacular gol- ringan sohala of Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi this year because the palkhi will be spending less time in the twin town this year.
Ringan is a ritual performed by warkaris during the palkhi procession. A group of warkaris first goes around singing abhangs and bhajans. They are followed by women pilgrims who run around the circle with pots of tulsi on their heads, while others go around with flags. Finally, two horses which carry the official flag of the Dehu Devasthan (temple) go around the circle and seek the blessings of the Sant Tukaram palkhi.
The gol-ringan sohala was held at the Hindustan Antibiotics Ground at Ajmera Colony in Pimpri for the past two years.
This is the 328th palkhi sohala of Sant Tukaram Maharaj. One halt of the palkhi in Pimpri Chinchwad has been cancelled due to the ‘tithi kshay’ (loss of a tithi in Hindu calender when one tithi does not touch a sunrise, and hence no day will be labelled by that tithi). Thus, the gol-ringan at Pimpri-Chinchwad has been cancelled. Since the halt of palkhi at Indapur has increased by a day this year, the ringan will be held there.
Palkhi schedule
The Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi procession will start from Deulwada in Dehu at 2 pm on Saturday. It will halt at Inamdarwada at Dehu on Saturday night and will proceed towards Pimpri Chinchwad on Sunday morning.
It will reach Nigdi at 3 pm and camp at Vittal Mandir at Akurdigoan on Sunday night. The palkhi will proceed towards Pune on Monday morning, informed a trustee, Ramdas More.
The Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi procession will reach Dighi at 7 am on July 1.
Spl squad formed
The PCMC has formed a special squad to provide necessary services to warkaris. Municipal commissioner Dr Shrikar Pardeshi had ordered the civic staff to fill up potholes on the procession routes. The ongoing road works have been stopped for the palkhi procession.
CCTV cameras will be installed at Akurdi where the Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi procession is to camp and at the welcome arch to be set up at Bhakti-Shakti Chowk. Various civic amenities and power connections will be provided at the palkhi camping site.
PMC gears up to welcome palkhis
As the palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram will be arriving in Pune city on July 1, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is prepared to welcome them.
The disaster cell of the PMC will be working in coordination with the disaster cell at the district collectorate to avoid inconvenience to devotees.
Mayor Vaishali Bankar will be welcoming the Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi at Mhaskevasti on Alandi Road at 11 am on July 1.
On the same day, she will be welcoming the palkhi of Sant Tukaram at Bopodi on Pune-Mumbai highway.
The municipal corporation has kept all its departments including solid waste management, road department, water supply, drainage and health departments and fire brigade on alert.
Ganesh Sonune, head of disaster management cell of PMC said in case of emergency, devotees will get assistance on 020-25501130.
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