Fadnavis performs 'Ashadhi Ekadashi' puja in Pandharpur, prays for prosperity of farmers

Pandharpur, Jul 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday performed the 'Ashadhi Ekadashi' mahapuja in Pandharpur town, seeking blessings of Lord Vitthal for the prosperity of farmers and removing all crises from the state.

As a long-standing tradition, the chief minister of Maharashtra offers prayers at the famous temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini in Solapur district's Pandharpur town on Ashadhi Ekadashi every year.

CM Devendra Fadnavis performed the puja along with his wife Amruta Fadnavis.

Warkari couple Kailas Damu Ugle and Kalpana Ugle, from Jategaon (Nashik district), got the honour of performing the ritual alongside the chief minister.

Lakhs of ‘warkaris’ (devotees of Lord Vitthal) congregated in Pandharpur for the celebration.

In his address following the mahapuja, CM Fadnavis said he prayed to Lord Vitthal to "keep farmers happy and content, remove all crises from the state, and bless everyone with wisdom to walk the path of righteousness." Highlighting the scale of this year's pilgrimage, the chief minister said the 'wari' tradition continues to grow every year.

"This year's wari (pilgrimage) has set new records with a massive turnout of devotees, especially youth, many of whom walked all the way to Pandharpur to seek Lord Vitthal's blessings," he said.

The chief minister said the wari has spiritual and cultural significance.

"In this journey, every devotee sees Lord Vitthal in one another. Nowhere else in the world is such a tradition found. The chanting of Hari's name in the wari brings new energy. The wari upholds the true spirit of the Bhakti movement," he said.

Referring to the state's effort to promote cleanliness and sustainability, Fadnavis noted this year's wari was both "nirmal" (clean) and environmentally conscious.

He praised the successful implementation of cleanliness initiatives, saying, "We have truly realised the teachings of our saints who always emphasised good sanitation practices." The CM also lauded the decision by local authorities to halt VIP access to darshan, which reduced the waiting time for the common devotees by five hours.

"This move ensured every devotee has equal and timely access to Lord Vitthal's darshan," Fadnavis said.

Earlier, Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee vice chairman Gahininath Maharaj Aosekar welcomed the dignitaries and said this year's arrangements have satisfied the large number of warkaris, with effective crowd management and enhanced facilities.

After the ceremony, the committee felicitated Fadnavis.

The CM honoured warkari couple Kailas and Kalpana Ugle, who were also awarded a year-long free ST (state transport) bus pass by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

Later, Fadnavis also presented the prestigious Shri Vitthal Nirmal Dindi awards to 'dindis' (pilgrim groups) for excellence in promoting cleanliness and social awareness.

The event was attended by state Guardian Minister Jaykumar Gore, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, MLAs including Samadhan Autade, Sachin Kalyanshetti, Babasaheb Deshmukh, Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil, Sanjay Sawkare, Devendra Kathe and Abhijit Patil, Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Solapur District Collector Kumar Ashirwad, and other senior officials and temple committee members. PTI MR GK