। बोलावा विठ्ठल पहावा विठ्ठल ।

Till last year I was the happy go-round photographer. Like any other festival, Waari was another one to get best shots and be happy (and the Likes on social media J J )

But something somewhere was amiss.

So this year decided to experience the Waari by walking with the Varkaris.

And Vineetji from Seva Sahayog helped me to get connected with IT-Dindi (http://www.waari.org/)

Walking from Aalandi to Pune, around 27 km....

And as a typical corporate guy, planning and training started J

Daily walking practice of 5km began.

On 10th July early morning, geared up with camera, its rain cover, some food, water, shoes etc.. we started at 4.00am.

When the bus dropped us some 1KM from Alandi there was already a continuous flow of warkaris walking. One after other walking in sortta files..files after files..it seemed unending.

The whole road was just beaming with these warkaris...not in hundreds, nor even thousands, it was in lakhs ...an unending flow of भक्ती.

It wasn't a crowd...it was a mass flow of devotion.

And we joined this flow.

It’s amazing to see how well organized these lakhs of people are. Walking in their own Dindi (group), each Dindi having its own number and its own position either in front or behind the Palkhi-raath.

After darshan of the palkhi, we started walking with the warkaris. The photographer in me just couldn’t resist. Entering in midst of the walking and dancing warkaris I started capturing their emotions , the sheer joy and innocence , a flow of pristine love towards Mauli.

Singing words of praise for Vithal, Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram and dancing on the tunes of Dholki and Taal these warkaris emitted a sheer display of energy out of devotion.

Taking small breaks under shades of trees these devotees kept on the journey towards Pandharpur.

The locals in each village and town kept waiting to welcome these warkaris and gave them water, snacks fruits or whatever help they can.

When we reached Pune, it was difficult to understand how these 27KM walk simply passed by.

This warkari is just another common man filled with immense love for Mauli…Leaving the comfort of home for these 18 days, accepting the hardships of walking 250 kilometers to Pandharpur, getting drenched in rains, at times under scorching sun, eating simple food given by the locals , staying in temples or common places.. But accepting the comforting of love of Dnyaneshwar Mauli and with non-stop chants of Gyaanbaa-Tukaaraam on lips, to visit the temple at Pandharpur on Aashaadhi Ekadashi.

Heart filled with peace and content, I took a rickshaw to head home. When the rick-drive came to know I walked from Alandi to Pune with the Waari, he got down and touched my feat saying “Mauli”, I touched his feat uttering “Mauli”.

How contagious is devotion!! He said it’s his dream to walk with the Waari.

As he dropped me home I just said “ जो जे वांच्छिल तो तें लाहो । प्राणिजात “ .