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Main gate, Vitthal's temple, facing the Bhima River. wikipedia
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Considered as an important pilgrimage center for the Hindus, Pandharpur in Solapur district of Maharastra is on the banks of Bhima river. The major attraction here is the Vithoba temple and it is said, that during the major yatra in the month of Ashadh (June–July) more than half a million Hindu pilgrims visit this city (also known as as Pandhari). ''Vitthal'', "Pandurang" and "Pandharināth" are other names of the presiding deity who is a form of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Here, his consort is Rakhumai or Rukmini. The Pandharpur temple, being a big complex, has six gates to get in. The eastern gate is known as the "Namdev Gate".
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| Panduranga (sri Krishna) and Rukmani. you tube. |
This temple is a sanctified place of worship as it was centuries ago visited by great and pious saints of repute like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Tukaram, Sri Namdev, Sri Eknath, and Sri Muktabai. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to have spent seven days at the Vithobha Temple engaged in meditation and worship.
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| Pandharpur MH, India .researchgate.net |
On Mahadwar ghat there is temple of bhakta (devotee) Pundlik. Legend has it God Vitthal came here to meet his ardent disciple bhakta Pundlik who was busy serving his elderly parents that time as part of his daily duty. He offered brick ( vit) for Vitthal to stand for some time. Since then Vithal has been standing and it is said, 28 yuga is gone by - too long a time to explore. So, when Aarati is shown before the deity as part of Puja, pundits mention " yuge atthavis (28), vithevari ubha. From it, we can infer that this temple is a pretty one - as old as the main Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as Wakhari Va Korti Devalayas and also known as Visava Mandi.
Most of the tourists here are Hindu pilgrims as there are four yatra's every year. Among them, the annual Yatra to the famous Vithoba Temple at Pandharpur known as Pandharpur Wari or Ekadashi and Pandharpur Ashadi Ekadashi Wari, Ashadhi and Karthikai yatras are popular and bring in lots of people from all over Maharashtra and neighboring states. Pilgrims with overwhelming devotion and commitments, usually undertake barefoot walk covering hundred of miles all the way from their hometown to get to the temple. The purpose is to get blessed by the lord and their wish fulfilled. This shows how much such devout Hindus repose trust in the Almighty - Lord Sri Krishna.
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| Vihoba (sri Krishna) temple, Maharastra. pinrest.com |
and his divine power. After their visit to the temple, having fulfilled their religious undertaking, they get back home with revitalized energy and confidence to face future challenges. In Maharastra, this place is referred to as South Khasi.
