The Wari of Pandharpur

 The Wari of Pandharpur — A Living Tradition

The very soil of this land began to speak through its saints. In the 13th century, Chakradhar Swami founded the Mahanubhava Sect, rejecting caste divisions and preaching in simple language. Later, the tradition of the Wari (pilgrimage) was rooted in humility and faith. Rarely does such a pilgrimage exist globally, one that symbolizes social equality.

Sant Dnyaneshwar gave us the Dnyaneshwari, with its concluding Pasaydan considered one of the world’s finest spiritual prayers. Nivruttinath initiated the Nath tradition. Muktai’s verses are spellbinding. Sant Namdev’s thoughts are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib. In Punjab, the literary conference held in Ghumman showed the reverence he commands. Sant Eknath, Sant Chokhamela, and Soyarabai were not just preachers but democratizers of devotion — nonviolent warriors of faith.

 

The Wari tradition is a walking, talking heritage. It is a memory that carries the pride of Maharashtra. It continued uninterrupted even during Islamic rule and British colonialism. Thousands of Dindis (pilgrim groups) participate annually — including this year, where even Artificial Intelligence was used during the pilgrimage. That is the extraordinary glory of Pandharpur.