MUMBAI
The temple town of Dehu, near Pune, resonated to the chants of ‘Tukaram-Tukaram’ on Monday, as at least three lakh devotees thronged the town to observe the 361th Tukaram Beej, Sant Tukaram’s death anniversary.
The temple town of Dehu, near Pune, resonated to the chants of ‘Tukaram-Tukaram’ on Monday, as at least three lakh devotees thronged the town to observe the 361th Tukaram Beej, Sant Tukaram’s death anniversary.
Dancing to the chants of ‘Tukaram-Tukaram’ and the percussion beats of the taal-mrudang, the devotees showered leaves of the bel (wood apple) tree on the streets of Dehu.
A long queue of devotees flocked the Shri Sant Tukaram Sheela Temple from as early as 4 am. Sant Tukaram Maharaj Devasthan president, Sonbaappa More, performed puja at the main Vitthal Rukmini temple at 5 am.
The palkhi (palanquin) containing the padukas (footwear) of Sant Tukaram left the main temple for the Nandurki tree near the Sadeha Vaikunth-Gaman Mandir, the spot where Sant Tukaram was last seen.
At the temple, the traditional kalyache kirtan was recited by Devasthan’s trustee, Bapusaheb Dehukar, and devotees showered flowers on the Nandurki tree.
According to legend, the eagle carrying the pushpak viman (Lord Vithoba’s aircraft) to fetch Tukaram had shaken this same tree 361 years ago.
Considering the magnitude of the event, closed circuit television cameras were installed at the entrance of the temple to monitor the huge influx of devotees. Proper arrangements were also made to provide drinking water to devotees.