Vari Palkhisohala / Pilgrimage

Vari Palkhisohala Dehu-Alandi to Pandharpur

B h a s k a r

H a n d e

Vaishwik

Vari Dehu-Alandi to Pandharpur

Palkhisohala

Walk in Pilgrimage

Vari Dehu Alandi to Pandharpur

Palkhisohala

6_____________________________________________________________ VARI Dehu-Alandi to Pandharpur Palakhisohala First Edition 2010 Second edition 2014 Bhaskar Ekanath Hande www.bhaskarhande.com www.vaishwik.com email:bhaskarhande@yahoo.com All right reserved Price Rs. 325

The author is grateful to Jaishree V. Rao, Jayant Deshpande

Publisher Sandhya Bhaskar Hande Vaishwik, S. No. 246/4 Saket Society D. P. Road Aundh Pune 411007 Tel: 020 27298182 Vaishwik Publication Pune.

At post mbraj Ta. Junnar Dist. Pune

Photography: Bhaskar Hande Avinash Thorat Krushnakant Chavhan

Printer Swaroop Mudran 678 Narayanpeth Pune Design Vaishwik

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Content

Page

1 Dr. Sadanand More

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2 How I embarked on the Palkhisohala Project

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3 Revolutionary Magnificence

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4 Dehu-Alalndi Pandharpur Palkhisohala 2008

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4.1 The Journeys of Jnandev and Namdev

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4.2 Dehu and its inhabitant,

Tukaram (1608-1648)

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4.3 Spiritual and Religious background

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4.4 Palkhi—concept and form

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4.5 Administration of the Palkhisohala

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4.6 The Varkari and Society

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5 The sense of belonging

78

6 Maps of Pilgrimage Route

84

7 Photographs of VARI.

86

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The Name ‘Bhaskar Hande’ well known and well established in the circle in artists. Bhaskar Hande is a poet, painter, print maker, photographer and sculptor. Further, he has his own standpoint of looking art and society that distinguish him from most of the International artists.

The standpoint mainly consists of a profound sense of tradition. In Bhaskar I find an attractive blend of an international modern citizen and person of traditional Marathi sensibility. The present work is an outcome of this blend.

As a peace loving modern secular artist Bhaskar is interested in exploring and exploiting the terms of arts in the interest of peace. He is aware that during every revolution artists are stimulates to react which they do.

He makes his point with a number of illustrations drawn from history. However, he also comments on the fact that in the midst of bloody revolutions, artists have neglected peaceful bloodless revolutions that also succeeded in bringing out desired change. One such example he knows is that of VARI. A traditional Marathi sacred march to Pandharpur. The place of the deity Vitthal. Thou who join the march are called Varkaries. Bhaskar very well acknowledges the war like fighting spirit of the foot-soldiers. However theirs is not war for aggrandizement nor for the thirst of wealth. It is on the one hand a crusade againt our powerful internal forces that gives us to undertake unethical actions and on other, it is also struggle for establish brotherhood through the teaching of saints such as Dnyaneshwar

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and Tukaram.

One will agree with my observation that Bhaskar’s ‘Third eye’ has succeeded in bringing out the desired effect. The photographs are accompanied by appropriate discourse.

I would like Bhaskar to go for more such projects and reveal the hidden secretes of Marathi culture

With best wishes for further journey.

Dr. Sadanand More Pune, June 6, 2014

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2 How I embarked on the Palkhisohala Project

I made up my mind to walk with the Palkhisohala (pilgrimage to Pandharpur) quite some time ago: in 1991, when I started to make sketches based on Tukaram’s Gatha (corpus of verses or abhangas). It was always an attractive subject for me. An artistpainter’s profession consumes a great deal of time. I had the urge to join this pilgrimage many a time, but couldn’t find the time for it. Also, 700 years had passed since Jnandev took his samadhi, and so in 2008, the 400th anniversary of Tukaram’s birth, I was doubly inspired to participate in the Palkhisohala. I participated not just as a person but decided to make something creative happen. I was inspired to document something about our glorious past for future generations. In my earlier books, I’d already written that adequate notice has not been taken of the names of individual painters, sculptors and craftsmen.

I first travelled for two months throughout India. It was a project called ‘Show Your Hope’, a travelling exhibition that went from Holland to India.

Artists from 86 countries participated in it. I made the journey in a truck, passing through Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Pakistan. My responsibility was to organize the exhibitions in India. I held them in Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Nasik, Pune, Goa

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and Bangalore. The exhibition ended on June 18, 2008. After that I was in a relaxed mood, so I started a new project and immediately decided to document the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala 2008.

I think the 400th birth anniversary occasion had such a strong impact on me that I decided to document it. Instead of just talking I prefer to set an example. What we actually produce is the only evidence we have in the practice of art. Mere theorizing is of no use. The evidence has to be captured when the event takes place.

I asked other artists to do sketches with me for the Palkhisohala. I distributed sketch books to the artists. We started on the day of the Palkhi Prasthan in Dehu Sansthan. In the past I’d show up for such events held in Dehu.

So far this was not new to me, but making sketches challenged me. Only five artists were present at the time. Just making a start was enough. Each artist made 10 sketches on the first day.—The result was not satisfactory but the artists were excited about the experience. Sitting in public and sketching was not a big deal for me. I’ve been doing sketches since my art academy days. My thoughts kept churning in my brain, as I wanted to document the Palkhisohala with a different approach.

The word Vari comes from Vaar, which means seven days. Seven days come again and again, and so

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does the Vari come year after year. People need something that is in tune with their spiritual life. The Palkhisohala gives a large number of people a platform. The Palkhisohala may have a tradition that goes back 323 years, but the number of people travelling and participating has increased significantly. The number of Deendis has also increased.

The Palkhisohala was started by Narayanmaharaj, the son of Sant Tukaram, in 1685. Narayanmaharaj was in his thirties, quite a mature age to make a decision. He made the trek from Dehu to Pandharpur via Alandi on foot; he was convinced that this journey, carrying Tukaram’s and Jnandev’s symbolic footwear every year, was a family obligation. He introduced a whole new concept to the devotional in society. However, in the Varkari Sampraday some authorities don’t pay much heed to this approach. Was Narayanmaharaj the founder of the Palkhisohala, or had the family of Tukaram already initiated the Vari? The double moniker “Jnanoba-Tukaram” was coined by Narayanmaharaj. But pilgrims went to Pandharpur even during Tukaram’s lifetime. His poems or abhangas contain ample evidence of that. Today’s Palkhisohala is conducted according to Narayanmaharaj because his principal motive was to carry Jnandev’s and Tukaram’s padukas (the impressions of footprints in a mould).

An artist marching with a Deendi is a totally new experience for people. My fellow artists travelled only as far as Pune—I carried on further. It was a complete change in my lifestyle as I lived in luxury in

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Europe for a long time. Even in India I lived comfortably. But in the Palkhisohala I decided to adjust to its usual ways. I had a rough experience of life 25 years back, so why should this be any different? I was quite relaxed after a turbulent period of four years. I had decided to settle in Pune after living in Holland for 25 years. That might have been one of the reasons I was prepared for the pilgrimage. I often wondered why. I never traveled in Maharashtra’s interior. I was born in Umbraj, a village in Pune District. During the first 17 years of my life I’d never ventured beyond my Tehshil area. Ever since I was a student in Mumbai I’ve travelled frequently to North India, but seldom inside Maharashtra. I decided to join the pilgrimage and see what experience I could gain. I visited places where Tukaram’s padukas took a rest, i.e., where the Palkhi stays overnight. I made sketches in charcoal, pencil and pen, and also took photographs.

In Baramati I met other artists who were studying in rural art schools. They welcomed me with enthusiasm. Actually, student artists come in direct confrontation with this subject, as opposed to the classical figures they’re exposed to in school To my mind the Palkhisohala is like an academy for all branches of fine art: dance, drama, music, literature, drawing, painting. One’s eyes and mind should be open to everything. All art academies and universities keep their eyes closed to such events and blindly follow traditional English art education. Professionally, everyone admits their influence but academics seldom pay any attention to them. I came to this event

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rather late but it was never out of sight for me. Otherwise, the project ‘Your form is my Creation’ would never have taken place. I have received two State awards. The first one was for work inspired by Tukaram’s verse. Unwittingly, I heeded my inner soul and became familiar with the living academy that the Palkhisohala represents, thanks to the entire bhakti tradition.

One meaning of peace refers to the inner peace, a piece within us: a state of mind, body and mostly soul. People that experience inner peace say that the feeling doesn’t depend on time, place, people or any external object or situation, proclaiming that an individual may experience inner peace even in the midst of war. One of the oldest writings on this subject is the Bhagvad Gita, an important part of India’s Vedic scriptures. Bhakti is one of the outcomes of this process. War and peace can predict certain aspects of human behavior. It may affect the daily life of the common man or society as a whole. The Vari or pilgrimage is one event that involves a large number of people in peaceful procession. Devotion is one of the states of mind, a feeling or emotion, that brings together an entire society.

Walking keeps one’s mind fresh and the body fit. In city life everyone is under some pressure or other. It’s hard for people to recognize the pressure they are under. Walking is one way to keep the body in condition. Medicines would hardly keep one’s health in order but walking can work wonders for your heart

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and lungs. Travelling long distances changes people’s environment, and thus induces new thoughts.

Tourism is travel for recreational or leisure purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who “travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.” Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. Thinking of global activities in the context of the Palkhisohala and its Vari, I arrived at the point where inner satisfaction played a higher role in the life of ordinary people.

Sketching is to the artist as gesture is to a dancer, words to a poet and notes to a singer. They are all manifestations of expression in the creative world. It might be capturing a moment in a photograph, but beyond these expressions it’s the rhythms of the body that get transformed into a realm where ecstasy flows inside out. An artist draws a line that puts shade and shadow beside an energetic flash. Realistic drawings show the artistic nature of the Vari, so I decided to experiment after having practiced abstract expression for so long. But still, they end up as abstract forms.

What I had lithographed in 1992 reappeared in Pandharpur while I was drawing the Pradakshina (circling).

The peripheral procession of the Deendi represents the Palkhisohalas.

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Beginning of pilgrimage

Modern transportation in pilgrimage

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3 Revolutionary Magnificence

A Revolution is a fundamental change in power

or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time. Aristotle thus described two types of political revolution: 1. Complete change from one constitution to another 2. Modification of an existing constitution

The glorious Revolution of England and the

North American Civil War happened during the same period; the most significant period for the beginning of Liberal Thought. The French and Russian Revolutions happened in violence. Most authoritative heads had been publicly persecuted. Economy was in depression and governments did not evoke confidence in public mind. So what were the thoughts of the common man?

The common man suffered emotionally and

economically and a fever of anger rose against the situation. His confusion led to mob anger, with the mobs taking action. Decision-making was influenced by action‌ not the other way round. With every act, man was confident of change; but when he lost, he became frustrated with his own unthinking actions.

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It affected the emotional, sensitive and creative man differently. Man has to think first; his actions then become an outcome of his thoughts.

Many artists made paintings before and after

a revolution. These proved to be lessons in history for the common man, who would search for hidden meaning, maybe suggestion of a time period. There was so much to learn from the paintings and sculptures of each period… as I looked at paintings of the French Revolution at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, I Storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789. France

shut myself in my thoughts and instinctively found a message for the artist.

Every phase of the revolution ushers change… expression of emotions was on high alert. Language would get rough and the poet desperately sought new words of expression. The artist sought new shades of color for an intelligent portrayal of emotion. Performers put forth their best. The dancer transformed like an acrobat in battlefield. The musician wrote songs on bravery. Hope was on high alert and with hope grew fear. A persecution complex led every man to believe

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he was surrounded by the enemy; making him see the enemy even amongst friends and relatives, too confused to act as a thinking citizen. The citizen was victimized by the constitution, rebels and traitors. The press and the media were under surveillance. During Demonstration 17 October 1905

by Ilya Repin, Russia

the revolution, reality is tangible and can be seen in actuality, through the photographer’s images, despite suffering bullet wounds.

I saw visual evidences of revolutions in the

form of prints, which today appear through the electronic media. I have been through the gloom, a soul that has actually witnessed the troubled event. I had written a poem in 1989, on the protest in China’s Min Square. The trees then were in blossom. The blossoming tree always reminds me of that protest.

I

documented a pilgrimage from Dehu-Alandi

to Pandharpur in 2008. I realized something extraordinary had happened on the Deccan plateau which was

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to make history. I explained this phenomenon in my book ‘325 years Dehu-Alandi to Pandharpur Palkhisohala.’ It was a pilgrimage of twenty days, when I discovered so much it made me mark those pages in history and nudge one to rethink about one’s life.

So much change had happened in Maharashtra

several times in history; sometimes when laws were violated, sometimes when kingdoms were overthrown with violence. But here in Pandharpur, I saw revolution and military transformation by messengers of peace of the 18th century. The fact remains that the Varkaris today are like soldiers holding flags for peace, not for violence. When I see this, I ask myself if it is the air of the Deccan Plateau that has brought about this change, this revolution. At the top of the Ringan, an event in pilgrimage.

2008 Artist Bhaskar Hande

plateau is the sky; the bottom of the plateau lies under the ocean. Does this result in a universe of peace?

Peace and violence are the essence of human

emotion and behavior. Revolution and evolution are the work of man, who heals his mind with art, but grieves and weeps when forced into a difficult situa-

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tion. It forces him to act in rage, when his mind has been taken over by his sentiments. In a revolution, man behaves differently, independently; his actions are not in the hands of his commander. The thinker or the artist must have observed this. Classic examples are when rape takes place in war or when the worthy get killed. Religious practices may have caused families to disagree and go separate ways. Human cleansing could have taken place. There must have been so much negativity.

Arguably, Picasso’s most famous work is his

depiction of the German bombing of Guernica, during the Spanish Civil War. Guernica, this large canvas embodies for many the inhumanity, brutality and hopelessness of war. Asked to explain its symbolism, Picasso said, “It isn’t up to the painter to define the symbols. Otherwise it would be better if he wrote them out in so many words! The public who look at Guernica. Artist Pablo Picasso Year 1937

the picture must interpret the symbols as they understand them.”

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Through this two dimensional painting, Picasso expressed concern for his motherland, when Guernica was bombarded in the Spanish Civil War. Picasso was interviewed for his expression of sentiment in this painting and his views were published in various periodicals. He told the public directly to interpret the painting; the viewer should figure out what is going on in the artist’s mind. The artist guides the emotions of the common man, anonymously. The artist’s sensitivity makes him a master documentarian of wartime plea.

Social equality came into being during the

French revolution. During the Russian revolutions, social injustice and inequality were discussed that brought about social change. Thus there was a lot of mental disturbance and many people immigrated to Europe and became famous personalities. They survived despite circumstance and their paintings and books guide today’s new victims of revolutions and wars, giving them hope to survive in tough times.

Many visual artists show the way to emotional cheer.

They share their thoughts and discuss amongst themselves about the many revolutions that the continent of Europe has had. I see my life and try to understand it from that viewpoint.

I have been living in The Hague since 1983 and

am aware of the many changes that have taken place in the past thirty years, socially, economically, artisti-

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cally. Netherlands was the most liberal European state since its golden age. Spinoza wrote his masterpiece, Ethica and introduced radical, liberal thinking.

The Peace Palace, often called the seat of international law, is in The Hague. It houses the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial body of the United Nations.

I remember the Yugoslavia Tribunal which took

place in The Hague and Slobodan Milosevic, President of former Yugoslavia. His trial began at The Hague on 12th February 2002, with Milosevic defending himself. He did not recognize the Tribunal but participated in the proceedings with the idea of presenting the Serbian view of the truth. The charges for which he was indicted were genocide, complicity in genocide, deportation, murder, persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds, inhumane acts, forcible transfer, extermination, imprisonment, torture; willful killing; unlawful confinement; willfully causing great suffering; unlawful deportation or transfer, extensive destruction and appropriation of property unjustified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly, cruelty, plunder of public or private property, attacks on civilians, destruction or willful damage done to historic monuments and institutions dedicated to education or religion. Milosevic was indicted in May 1999 during the Kosovo War by the UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for crimes against humanity in Kosovo. I had witnessed the entire proceedings and learnt how laws act after war.

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The other side of the story‌ we put together in Show Your Hope Project in Holland. In 2006, I became a promoter of exhibitions, traveling to Asia, especially India. 18 exhibitions were held in various cities; the message was Show Your Hope against war in Balkan, Iraq and later on, in Afghanistan.

Moral values were discussed at the time of the

fifth election, in the first decade of the 21st century in Holland. Five elections took place within eleven years.

Many foreigners took asylum and moved to another country through the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2012, it took more than six months to form the government. Those were tense times, but not ignited by the fire of a revolution. People were able to think and talk things over; things could be marginalized.

At the artistic front, many art academies and

design schools were established in the Netherlands and many students passed out of the academies.

There were not enough jobs even for the professionals. Artists were criticized even for their efforts in art conservation and preservation. Museums are to attract visitors from all over the world and this is one of the positive points of Dutch culture.

Economically, the Euro was introduced in

2001, when Gulden was at half its value. As I think of those days of Gulden exchange, I travel through time and some memories flow through. The currency of a

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country is the medium of economy for the exchange of goods. But a change of currency was for me, an experience in the country becoming liberal. In 1992, European states came together under the Maastricht Treaty. I enthusiastically made a souvenir bag of coins, a symbol for Unity, like Santa’s bag of gifts!

The fall of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the fall

of the Berlin Wall in 1990 brought about big changes in Europe. It was the fall of Communism - Socialism of the Lenin era. Statues of Lenin were moved from public squares in East European countries. There was constant media coverage of incidents in the last quarter of the 20th century. Everything was sensational and became the height of expression. Every sensitive mind reacted on issues and incidents and most artists felt that social transformation was taking place; the signs and symbols were being moved from the streets.

In India, such incidents occurred when the

British Raj ended and India and Pakistan became independent nations. Lahore in the north, Mumbai in the south and Calcutta in the east had lots of statues removed from streets and dumped. When I came to live in Byculla, Mumbai, opposite the Victoria Gardens and Museum, I would spend many happy hours there, studying and sketching. Around the Museum building in the open area there were a lot of marble statues, some in good condition. I was astonished at the story

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of these statues, which were not even useful to students of art schools. National fervor renders a person blind and in his rage, he becomes capable of burning, destroying everything of the past in art and science.

Marble statues remain in good condition for years, yet they are not in any public collection. I think they are made in the interest of politically motivated regimes, to show domination of wealth and power. After a fall of political power, culture always gets plundered. It inspires other minds with new values that are sometimes undermined.

Another incident of this kind happened in the

Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where recently, Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party ordered many sculptures of herself to be made and kept in public places.

What happened after her party was defeated in the 2012 elections? History repeated itself and the statues were removed and dumped by the new government.

In a democracy, it is not a fair practice to make statues and keep them in public open places. Why can’t the parties just keep them in their offices? Culture develops manually, not mechanically. The best ideas survive under any circumstance. One of the Indian states received an order from the Supreme Court not to place statues in public places and I admire the decision taken. Authorities should develop museums in the interest of the common man and preserve important and valuable objects for future generations.

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In the history of revolutions, I find the source

for thinkers to gather their views. Leaders of both sides act in anger. Commoners as well as generals suffer under the political leaders. Conspiracies lead to confusion and a suffering generation tries to find a way out of trauma. Revolutions provide the writer with themes, for maybe a drama or opera. They provide the artist with ideas for a mural, the actor with an opportunity to air his voice. The dancer may find a new theme for choreography. A philharmonic orchestra may find a new chorus. Epic songs and hymns get written. The saga of revolution will always be in the minds of men causing changes around the globe.

In modern history, a very different kind of

revolution took place in India, which transformed military men to participate in 800 kilometers long peace marches every year. Without a break, this march to Pandharpur has been happening for 327 years. One can see a combination of philosophy and culture in this march, which began in 1685. I make an attempt to mark these years in Europe, India and North America, searching for incidents, events, revolutions and wars.

Today, information technology brings news to our living room. Then, it was just not possible to hear or know anything for thousands of miles. To receive any real news, it could take many months and the rest would be only gossip!

In North America from 1685 until 1688, a

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French colony, Fort Saint Louis, existed near what is now Inez, Texas. Explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle, a French explorer credited with claiming Louisiana and the Mississippi River Basin for France, intended to found a colony at the mouth of the river. But inaccurate maps and navigational errors caused his ships to anchor instead at 400 miles (650 km) west, off the coast of Texas, near Matagorda Bay.

In England, The Monmouth Rebellion was an

attempt to overthrow James II who had become the King of England, Scotland and Ireland upon the death of his elder brother Charles II in 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic and some Protestants under his rule opposed his kingship. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II, claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne and attempted to displace James II. Monmouth landed at Lyme Regis and for the following few weeks, his growing army of nonconformists, artisans and farm workers fought a series of skirmishes with local militias and regular soldiers.

The rebellion ended with the defeat of Monmouth’s forces at the Battle of Sedgemoor and Monmouth was executed for treason. Many of his supporters were executed or transported in the Bloody Assizes of Judge Jeffreys.

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Siege of Namur (1695) by Jan van Huchtenburg.

Siege of Namur, June 1692 by Jean-Baptiste Martin le vieux

In Europe, The Nine Years’ War (1688 - 97) was

a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch King William III, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, King Charles II of Spain, Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and the major and minor princes of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Nine Years’ War was fought primarily on mainland Europe and its surrounding waters, but it also encompassed a theatre in Ireland and in Scotland, where William III and James II struggled for control of the British Isles and a campaign (King William’s War) between French and English settlers and their Indian allies in colonial North America. The war was the second of Louis XIV’s three major wars.

In India, Bombay Presidency, the East India

Company’s headquarters moved from Surat to Bombay in 1687. The Portuguese owned land on the west coast of India that was a contract with the Maratha rulers. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb himself headed South in 1681. With his entire imperial court, administration and an army of about 500,000 soldiers, he pro-

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ceeded to conquer the Maratha Empire, along with the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda. During the eight years that followed, King Sambhaji led the Marathas, never losing a battle or fort to Aurangzeb, who almost lost the campaign but for an event in early 1689.

Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar, to decide on the final onslaught on the Mughal forces. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji Shirke and Aurangzeb’s commander, Mukarrab Khan attacked Sangameshwar, when Sambhaji was accompanied by a few men. Sambhaji was ambushed and captured by Mughal troops and he along with his advisor, Kavi Kalash were taken to Bahadurgad, where they were executed for rebellion against the Empire.

In relation to the above events in North Amer-

ica, England, Holland and India, the Palkhisohala was started by an individual. Sant Tukaram’s younger son Narayan Maharaj had decided to take the paduka, footwear of Tukaram and Dyaneshwar to Pandharpur in groups, dindi, chanting abhangs. This was a difficult era on the political scene. King Shivaji had passed away in 1680 and his son was on the throne.

The Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, had descended on the Deccan plateau, to fight the newly created Maratha kingdom which challenged the mighty Mughal Empire. Sambhaji, Shivaji’s son was at war with the rMughals, the English and the Portuguese. Narayan Maharaj was a farmer by profession, who became

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a strong believer of Tukaram and other saints like Dynaneshwar and Namdev. Dehu is situated on the banks of the Indrayani River. Tukaram disappeared in 1650. Narayan Maharaj was born about four to five months after Tukaram’s disappearance. Those were not peaceful times. His idea to start a peaceful march to Pandharpur was an adventurous one, especially under foreign rule.

Aurangzeb intended to demolish the Maratha

kingdom. The peace march was to be held from Dehu –Alandi in Pune district to Pandharpur. This was under Maratha rule and Pandharpur was inside the Adilshahi of Bijapur, the dynasty that ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur, west of the Deccan. The Bijapur sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12th September 1686, after its conquest by Aurangzeb. This area around Pandharpur was especially sensitive lying on the border of the Maratha kingdom and the Adilshahi of Bijapur. River Bhima was called Chandrabhaga in Pandharpur and this river and Nira geographically form the dividing line between the two kingdoms.

At the time Palkhisohala started, the two kingdoms were at war. But devotional activities and intelligence activities were going on simultaneously. People supported the Maratha army. The route for the march was through Adilshahi territory and today, this route has not changed. The Alandi route was changed by Dyaneshwar’s followers who were also military heads.

The form of Palkhisohala is a format of military march.

The structure of administration is, likewise, the same.

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Mughals, Marathas, the British Raj and now the Republic of India... Palkhisohala has been recognised by each administration. Its march of soldiers of the soul, soldiers of the land, soldiers of devotion, soldiers of peace, is a positivity of humanity, formed in good faith.

This march influenced all modern Indian phi-

losophers, political leaders, thinkers like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, economist Namdar G. K. Gokhale, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar, Bramho Samaj members, British Justice Ranade etc. Today, many western universities send researchers to find the message delivered by this march. The number of people participating in this march has already passed several hundred thousands, coming from the western and southern states of India.

The second revolution took place in 1930,

against the British Raj. Mahatma Gandhi led the Satyagraha, his Dandi March. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, he said. He believed in resistance without violence, non violence against the mighty power of the British Empire. He succeeded with the help of the concept of the Varkari movement and a thousand-year-old tradition of Buddha, Mahavir, sufis and Varkari like Namdeo, Dnyaneshwar, Kabir, Nanak, Eknath, Tukaram, Bulleh Shah, Narsi Mehta etc.

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The examples of the past provide the present

with the strength and the solutions. War is not a solution to a problem; it is only a link to another conflict.

As Gandhiji said, “It has always been easier to destroy than to create.” and “There are many causes that I am prepared to die for, but no causes that I am prepared to kill for.”

How do I conclude with words, my memories

of India, Holland, Europe, of the past thirty years?

Words are gone with the wind. The wind liberates the sensitive mind.

Dandi yatra 1930

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Walk through natural environment

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4 Dehu-Alalndi Pandharpur Palkhisohala 2008

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4:1 The Journeys of Jnandev and Namdev

Jnandev and his contemporary, Namdev, travelled throughout India in the 13th century. Jnandev was a thinker, and founder of the tradition of Marathi Bhakti poetry. He was also able to distance himself from the tradition of the Vedas and the rules of Brahmin superiors, and engage with the common public. He was a child of his time in changing tradition and bringing about a more secular society, and he surpassed all established thought. He studied Shaivism and Shaktism.

He respected and appreciated all religions and castes, and his Guru’s views. He was the seed that grew into a huge tree within. Namdev was a good businessman in his time and a devotee of Pandurang. He served as an experienced person and a travel guide to Nivruttinath, Jnandev, Sopan and Muktabai. As his business supplied fabrics to several places in India, he must have established good public relations, cultivated during the five trips he made to Punjab—via Gujarat, Central India and North India—in his lifetime. His trips from Pandharpur to Punjab in the 13th century were likely by bullock-cart and on horseback. Today’s Palkhisohala involves daily travel of at least 22 km and thus overnight stops—the places Jnandev stayed overnight were either at a dharamsala or at those owned by his business friends. He knew where these places were, and that helped in guiding Jnandev and his brothers

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in their journey to Kashi and the rest of North India.

Nivruttinath, Jnandev’s elder brother, studied Shaiva doctrine for twelve years in North India. He also had experience of travel in North India. These journeys always make me wonder when I travel long distances.

Like Mumbai to Amsterdam, a journey which keeps giving rise to new thoughts and freshens the mind.

Last year (2008) I walked along with those participating in the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala. So I gained some experience and can well imagine what sort of difficulties people might have faced in their journeys all over India in the 13th century. Earlier on, I had travelled to North India as an art student, and from Mumbai to Darjeeling as an artist. Recently, I travelled to exhibitions at Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Nasik and Pune. I had all this experience even before I decided to walk in the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala. I understand the poetry of travelling and pilgrimage. Along the way I made sketches to celebrate Tukaram’s 400th birth anniversary.

Namdev’s journey had always inspired my earlier writing. Jnandev, Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram and others in the tradition of Bhakti poetry are the bedrock of my thinking process. A source of inspiration, as are Indian Sufi poets like Bulleshah, Kabir, Waris Shah and Ramdas, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Narsi Mehta. That was the reason I invited the “Show your Hope” project to India and achieved something which would never have been experienced. It was to obtain experience through travel. But what I gained is priceless experience and a relaxed mind. The whole world is full of complex situations, and so most people try to attain a

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peace of mind in their everyday life.Â

The road that goes to both Jyotirlingas passes by my birthplace, and it might well have contributed to my passion for estimating and comparing distances. As in Rameshwar to Pandharpur via Gokarn, Venkobagiri, Mallikarjun Shail Mountain; Parali Baijnath to Ondha Naganath via Tuljapur and Mahoor; from Ondha Naganath to Bhimashankar via Paithan, Shani-Shingnapur and Alandi; from Alandi to Bhimashankar and Tryambakeshwar via Junnar and Harishchandragad; from Tryambakeshwar to Somnath via Saptshrungi and Ammalner; even the central route from Rameshwar goes through Gokarn, Venkobagiri, Mallikarjun Shail Mountain, Siddheshwar in Sholapur, Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Paithan, Ghruneshwar and Omkareshwar to Mahakal of Ujjain. These geographical routes have always been trodden annually by many Indian pilgrims on several religious occasions. The followers of Shaiva especially travel regularly along these routes. The Mahaparv routes in India are lined by four peeths (centers), twelve Jyotirlingas and three and a half Shakti Peeths. People travel to all these places all the time. I may not visit all these places but my inner being ponders over all these routes, comparing them to the annual Dehu-Pandharpur pilgrimage.

The number of people walking along these routes is the greatest among all the pilgrimages in the world.

The largest gathering, the Mahaparv Kumbh Mela occupies first place—it is performed in a very different manner. Taking this into account, the tradition of the Dehu-Pandharpur pilgrimage and the Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhisohala have played a secular role in society.

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In no other part of the world does this take place. The main theme is that all humans function at the same level, being equal regardless of age or caste.

Two personalities influenced Tukaram: Jnandev and Namdev. His reason for writing poetry (abhangas) is contained in his verse. Jnandev and Namdev appeared in his dreams and asked him to write down the rest of their work through his mind and hand. Tukaram honoured their will, obeyed the order and began writing at the age of 21; he’d continue writing till the age of 41. His last appearance was the second day of the lunar fortnight of the waning moon in the Hindu calendar in 1649 A.D.

One must always rely on the perspective of time to value someone’s work—how much one person can accomplish and under what circumstances.

Jnandev lived only 21 years, but had a profound influence on society. Tukaram, lived 41 years, and his poetry modernized Marathi. Namdev lived 90 years, supported the cause of Jnandev, wrote verses and travelled a lot. Various aspects of everyday life exert their influence on a person while he actually lives his life. Everyone has a life, long or short, but can impact society in disproportionate ways. Historians and critics have no doubt noticed this. Some may say that their work is more important than their life. But to tell their stories to the common man, they will first have to reflect on their own public as well as private lives in order to lead unpretentious lives, without hypocrisy.

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4:2 Dehu and its inhabitant, Tukaram (1608-1648)

The village, Dehu, in District Pune, in the Maval region of Maharashtra, sits on the banks of the Indrayani river. Tukaram was born and performed his divine deeds in Dehu and neighbouring villages.

About three hundred years before Tukaram, his ancestor, Vishwambhar, lived in Dehu. The whole family owed its religious allegiance to Lord Vithoba. It was in Ashadh (the fourth month of the Hindu lunar calendar), on Shudh Dashmi (the tenth day of the waxing moon) that the Lord appeared in Vishwambhar’s dream and told him of His existence and went to retire in a grove of mango trees. The very next morning Vishwambhar went into the grove with fellow villagers and found the idols of Lord Vithoba and Rakhumai.

He then brought them over to his house and installed them for worship. People soon came to know of this divine miracle and started coming in droves to pay obeisance. An annual festival soon became a regular feature. And a tract of land was bequeathed to Vishwambhar to take care of the festival expenditure. A pilgrimage would be held on Shuddh Ekadashi (the 11th day of the waxing moon) every month.

The Pandharpur Vari (pilgrimage) during the holy months of Ashadh and Kartik had long been a tradition in Vishwambhar’s family since his forebears.

It was his unwavering and steadfast devotion that was

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compelling. However, after Vishwambhar’s demise, his sons, Hari and Mukund, showed no religious inclination and turned to their original vocation: the armed services. They sought royal patronage, along with their families, and became officers among the royal soldiers in the army of that time.

Their mother, Amabai, frowned upon this. The Lord was also unhappy with their decision. He once appeared in Amabai’s dream and told her of His unhappiness over the state of affairs. “I left Pandharpur and came to Dehu for you, but you chose to leave me and seek royal patronage. This is not fair. You should return to Dehu,” he said. Amabai spoke to her sons about the Lord’s admonition and tried to persuade them to return to Dehu. The sons, however, paid no heed.

As fate would have it, the state was soon invaded by an alien power and both brothers laid down their lives in the ensuing battle with the foe. Mukund’s wife preferred to sacrifice herself as sati following her husband’s demise. Hari’s wife was pregnant at the time of his death on the battlefield. Therefore, Amabai returned to Dehu with her. Soon, the daughter-in-law was sent to her parents for her delivery and Amabai devoted herself to the Lord’s service. Hari’s widow gave birth to a son, who was named Vitthal. Vitthal’s son was Padaji, Padaji’s son Shankar, Shankar’s son Kanhoba. Kanhoba’s son was Bolhoba. Bolhoba had three sons: Savji was the eldest, followed by Tukaram and Kanhoba, the youngest.

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Tukaram’s family belonged to the Kshatriya (warrior) caste. His forefathers had embraced martyrdom while fighting the enemy on the battlefield. The family was also very cultured and religious. Worship of Lord Vithoba had been its hallmark for generations and so was the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur.

The family also had the distinction of being mahajans (money-lenders). It owned farmland, and engaged in money-lending and trade. The family owned two wadas (houses) at Dehu: one as its residence and the other, in the marketplace, for trade and business. It enjoyed the respect of the villagers and also of those living in the immediate vicinity. They were called kunbis (farming community) because they engaged in agriculture, and vanis (trading community) due to their trading activities. However, Tukaram abjured all these, with the result that he came to be called a gosavi (akin to a fakir). Nevertheless, ‘Gosavi’ was never the surname of the family. It was ‘More’ and ‘Gosavi’ was an honorific.

By tradition Tukaram’s public discourses on religion would be mixed with poetry, which included some of his own compositions. His discourses focused on the day-to-day behavior of human beings, and he emphasized that the true expression of religion was in a person’s love for his fellow men rather than in ritualistic observance of religious orthodoxy, including the mechanical study of the Vedās. His teachings encompassed a wide range of issues, including the importance of the ecosystem. Tukaram worked towards the enlightenment of society in the “Varkari”

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tradition, which emphasizes community service and group worship through music.

The myths of Tukaram’s disappearance

Due to my experience of living in a foreign country, I could imagine the social debates on the circumstances surrounding Tukaram’s death.

Since he denied himself ‘Moksha’, his attitude was clear: he did not seek ‘moksha’.

He was always thinking and writing, so he knew about the realities of life.

His kirtan was the last performance and appearance in public.

In his biographical writing he wrote verses which tell us that he was accompanied by some people.

Perhaps unknown people were involved in his journey, but later became known in his written works.

The incident may have occurred as part of his journey and rumors were spread all over.

Due to his business skills and his sense of humor in talking about himself, he may have kept this a secret but kept writing according to his nature.

He was conscious about his writing, and also in preserving it. Hence the “13th day fast”, and the appearance of his Abhanga vahi (notebook).

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Researching his poetry after his disappearance was a task which requires genuine study. His friends continued to do that. The result is that all his verses were scrutinized by scholars through the years.

Rumours were spread that he was murdered

by Brahmins or someone else out of pure hate and jealousy. The issue was kept very much on the boil— this is typical of any sect that wishes to perpetuate hate and jealousy—a form of spiritual incorrectness.

Love and hate are both part of the love game. Ironically, aggression also sets the subject on fire.

Various incidents took place after Tukaram’s disappearance. Critics and those proud of their caste who were against his work were involved in spreading rumors. Other sects were trying to put him down by making false statements and using abusive propaganda to destroy Tukaram’s social standing as well as to portray him as being unworthy. Consequently, he’s regarded more as a mystic today than a person one can relate to.

One could say that the speculations over his death are practical and logical, but not credible. Some deny others’ beliefs outright. In due course, the acceptance of facts which one considers true becomes the measure by which everyone believes in something.

Witnesses to the incident lose credibility when the social arrangements are on shaky ground. But whom to blame? The social arrangements in the region of the Western Ghats were in turmoil. The history of the period when Buddha lived was erased by Brahmin

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thinkers and rulers of that time, as well as Muslim invaders. I’m considering the historical evidence available from the 10th to 15th centuries, with all the wars and deposed rulers.

When we consider the views of historians and critics, and the political changes during the regimes of the above-mentioned period, I come to the conclusion that there may have been other factors which might have been overlooked by social observers of that time. The religious sects in the Western Ghats and central Maharashtra are so manifold that one needs to take a look at the big picture to come to terms with Tukaram’s disappearance.

Spiritual and Religious background of the Dehu-Alandi-Pandharpur pilgrimage routes

In contemporary India, there are sects of Shaiva that are bigger than the Vaishnav. Take for example any village and see Vinekari Walking on pilgrimage route

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how many temples were inherited by that village.

Ganesha, Maruti, the local Devi (female protector) as well as the main female goddesses like Mahalaxmi, Saraswati, Sharada, Kali, etc. Shaiva, Shakt, Vaishnav, Gaanpatya, Mahanubhav, Brahmakumar and kumaris jostle one another for space. Because of these social tensions, rumors of Tukaram’s death became more mystical.

4:3 Spiritual and Religious background

Shaiva involvement

1. In Maharashtra three of the twelve Shiva-worshipping Jyotirlinga temples are located in Tryambakeshwar, Bhimashankar, and Ghruneshwar. There are twelve Jyotirlingas throughout India.

2. All eight Ganesha-worshipping Ashtavinayak temples are located in the Western Ghats.

3. Local Shaiva-reincarnated deities like Khandoba and Jyotiba are placed at Jejuri, Pali, Kolhapur, Ondha Nagnath and Paruli Baijnath.

4. The Shaiva Nathpanthi Guruparampara sect is spread all over central and south India, with Ganagapur and Akkalkot being important places.

Shakti involvement

5. Three and a half shaktipeeths are at Tuljapur, Kol-

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hapur, Mahoor and Saptshrungi.

6. Each village has its own female deity (Gramadvata) to worship.

Jain Involvement

7. Jainism is a significant part of history, and has been involved in changing people’s minds and carving out kingdoms. The districts of Sangli and Kolhapur in the south of Maharashtra were part of the Jain kingdom.

Vedic involvement

8. Paithan, Nashik, Trambakeshwar and the Siddheshwar Ashram at Solapur were traditional centres of imparting Vedas teaching. Due to these practices many other castes settled around these ashrams as they depended on each other for livlihood. So after centuries we still see most bahujan and harijan living in and around these concentrated areas.

9. A part of Brahmanism is in the Konkan, which preserved Brahmin thought on account of the ancient, Brahmin hero, Parshuram.

10. Brahmakumaris are also competing with other religious persuasions.

Vaishnav involvement

11. The Varkari sect has its origins in the worship of Krishna and Ram. It engages in the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur, where Lord Vitthal is worshipped. He is considered as the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.

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12. The Mahanubhav Panth which worships Krishna is widespread in the north of Maharashtra. It also held sway in western Maharashtra in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Muslim involvement

13. Muslim invaders changed the religious views of many greedy and vulnerable people by force, and by giving offence. They settled down here and built their mosques. Ahmednagar and Aurangabad are towns that became Muslim settlements. Malegaon especially became an enclave for Muslims who chose to remain in India after Partition.

Sikh involvement

14. Because of Aurangzeb Guru Gobind Singh came all the way to Nanded from Punjab to meet, and ended up settling down there. Since 1708 it has become a holy place for Sikhs. It is located in central east Maharashtra.

Tribal settlements

15. Apart from all these efforts in settling down in Maharashtra, today there are tribes that survived all land invasions, like the Bhilla, Warli, Mahadev Koli and others. They’ve been living for centuries in the jungles of the Western Ghats and Central India.

Secular regime

16. Two world heritage sites, Ajantha and Elora, represents a period that got dismissed in Maharashtra by

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Jain, Budhist, Hindu and Muslim rulers. Today they’re open to the whole world and all religions.

17. Buddha and his philosophy has maintained peace in the Sahyadri ranges. Buddhists had carved out many caves in the Western Ghats: the Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves, Elephanta Caves and others are an integral part of the heritage of India.

18. Shirdi is the place where most of secular society visits Sai Baba’s shrine.

19. ‘Bombay’ became one of India’s first cosmopolitan cities and placed on Mumbai the crown of all the religions of the world—you name it and you will find it here. With such a diversity of communities and religious beliefs one would expect the background of the current inhabitants to be equally varied. With such complex communities Maharashtra is still producing good results, with an extraordinary society and talent within it. Where do they look for inspiration?

Jnandev and Tukaram have become the ideal leaders of Marathi- speaking people, whose thoughts reach out to the very limits of human experience, s and thus attaining Divine status. Society should survive without suffering and pain. The more you desire, the more that desire will be reinforced, but the winds of opposition will blow hard against it. Either your desire will lose its force or it will gain momentum.

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4:4 Palkhi—concept and form ,

What is the idea behind the Palkhi in Maharashtra and elsewhere, and how did it start? Why do hundreds of thousands of people participate in it?

One could ask the organizers about these things. Is it a religious or social gathering? Does it have a political purpose? Just walk and find all the answers in the Palkhisohala. Doesn’t matter which Palkhisohala you participate in. Ashadhi Ekadashi, the 11th day of the lunar month. There are other festivals in Maharashtra like Tuljabhavani, Khandoba, Jyotiba, Ganesha, Ambabai and others. But I’m concerned with the greatest event: the Ashadhi Ekadashi Palkhisohala.

Actually, Palkhi means palanquin. A palanquin is used to carry a beloved and respected person over long distances. Others used to place the worshipped god in it and pay their respects during the procession on a special day. In North India the palanquin is used to carry the newly wed groom to the bridegroom’s home. It shows respect for and is an honor to the beloved instead of walking there. He sits and the others walk with him or her.

It can be put on the shoulders and carried, or it can be placed in a bullock cart or horse cart. A bullock cart is used for long distances and for short distances

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it is carried on the shoulders. Processions tend to be short in villages or on mountain routes where worship takes place. It is a tradition and social event that takes place all over India as a devotional festival of some sort.

The Dehu and Alandi Palkhisohala had its beginnings in 1675 AD. Tukaram and Jnandev were an inspiration to Narayan Maharaj, Tukaram’s son. He respected and was devoted to his father and Jnandev, the founder of the tradition of Marathi bhakti poetry.

He started walking from Dehu to Alandi, and then continued on to Pandharpur, where Lord Vitthal is worshipped. It is during Ashadi Ekadashi that one should set foot in Pandharpur. On the 11th lunar day, all who respect and worship Vitthal take a bath in the river, Chandrabhaga and walk around the periphery of the Vitthal temple complex in Pandharpur. On the second or 12th lunar day one gives up the fast and have normal food. The 13th and 14th days are for celebration and rest. On the 15th day of the month, or Pournima (Full Moon), one honors one’s Guru—this is Gurupournima also. It has another importance in Indian holy festivals. Everyone honors his Guru on this day.

All bhaktas, or devotees, visit Pandharpur to pay their respect to Lord Vitthal. To be at the guru’s doorstep, or near the Guru is to achieve ecstasy. That’s the culmination. All devotees pay their respect, being present to have Dahikala (mixture of Lahm rice and yogurt) and begin the return journey to Dehu and Alandi.

It takes about 20 days to reach Pandharpur and 15 days to go back. When the Palkhi proceeds toward

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Pandharpur, it has commitments to villages along the way, where it stays overnight. Certain traditions have been established over the years so everything goes according to plan. On the return journey the palkhi stops at places other than those where they stopped on the way to Pandharpur. It is a matter of honor and fulfillment for villagers who invite people into their temples. The palkhi returns to Dehu or Alandi on the second Ashadhi Ekadashi (the eleventh day of darkness that follows the Full Moon). And then the festival ends.

Dahikala or Gopalkala

On the occasion of Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna), the devotees of Krishna prepare every favorite dish of the Lord. These include varieties of sweets and dairy products. One of them is the luscious Gopalkala. Prepared from beaten rice, curd, ghee and cucumber, this salty recipe is generally prepared in every home where the festival of Janmashtami is observed. In contest of vari this is kind of thought mixed with tradition. It becomes normal practice on occasion of any vaishnav festival. So Vitthal is avtar of Lord Vishnu so does krishna. It seems traditions got mixed in time. Gopal means cowherd. These concept drawn since Lord Krishna’s cowherd friends had their lunch in common. The accept of equality is the message goes through in tradition of vari

Guru as friend

He is the Divine dispeller of the darkness within you.

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The Divine Trinity has been described as Guru. This implies that the Divine should be regarded as the supreme preceptor who can destroy the darkness that is ignorance. Forgetting this basic truth, Install God in your heart. The vibrations that emanate from the heart will elevate you spiritually and confer Divine Wisdom.�

Every religious sect has a tradition and a holy place where the followers of that sect are expected to visit for darshan and for other religious ceremonies. In the Varkari sect Pandharpur is considered to be a very holy place, where the temple of Vithoba or Pandurang is located. Every able-bodied Varkari is also expected to visit Pandharpur on the Ashadhi or each Ekadashi for the vari (visit). Parallel example in Maharashtra, Andhra pradesh and Karnatak ,The devotees of Shri Datta of Nath sampraday regard Mahur, Ganagapur, Narsoba Wadi, Audumbar, etc. as their holy places since they believe that Shri Datta is supposed to have stayed at the se places in person or through His incarnations.

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4:5 Administration of the Palkhisohala

The administration of the Palkhisohala is well within democratic rules of order. One can wonder about the way it works, or be surprised when one knows how it does work. It’s a lot like the management of a military battalion during wartime. The whole operation is designed to move the military towards its destination. It is adapted from military practice in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many experts have understood what wartime management was like in the advance of Maratha regiments in the Maratha and Peshwa periods. Most sardars and shiledars in the Maratha kingdom had their own Paydal (land military). It was always on the move and had to manage their own transport. The Patil—or village headman— would support the local military superior with manpower and money.

Each village had its own sainiks (soldiers), just as each village today has a Dindee, and varkaris with musical performers (musicians’ group). This is turned into a peaceful movement that practices the doctrine of varkari bhakti. It’s a miracle from within.

Even varkaris call themselves ‘Vaishnavanche Sainya’, meaning Warriors of Vaishnav. War and peace. A paradox that is inherent in any Indian doctrine. Inner conflict. Only those who wage war will find the solu-

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tion: peace within oneself, as Gautam Buddha realized. Peace is a notion intended for the non-violent. To spiritually transform violent moments into calmness.

The walking during the Vari calms and relaxes the mind in order to energize the body. The spiritual peace one needs in life is derived from the experience that walking with others provides. Today people may not understand these virtues but they do represent the contemporary reality.

There is a committee of members who’re elected from Dehu village and the Varkari Sampradaya. The Dehu temple is registered as a trust. It has a separate Palkhisohala Committee, which includes the President; he is assisted by three other festival assistants, and is the prominent co-ordinator in the management of the sohala.

Each village has its own Dindee which marches with either the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala or the Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhisohala. It may happen that one or more Deendi in a village takes part in the festival.

Order of the March

The Palkhisohala has been designed as a military march and its glory lies in the performance of its participating Dindees. At the beginning of the Palkhisohala big Nagara drums on a bullock-cart are played to announce that the festival has begun. The Choughada is played by a person while walking. The Chopdar is a colourful, historic character in the modern

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Palkhisohala. To keep everyone walking in an orderly manner, and intruders and disturbances at bay, the Chopdar keeps an eye on everyone to maintain the discipline of the march ‘Devacha ghoda’, or the Horse of God takes its place alongside the Sardar’s (commander’s) horse. Behind it the holders of the ‘Abdagiri’ (a shield that is a symbol of the region) march, as in the military. But in the context of the Palkhisohala the sign symbolizing a particular order of sects and their main deity is moulded onto this shield, or the ‘Abdagiri’. The Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhi has a special sign that is called Garud-Takke—a vehicle of Lord Vishnu’s Garud (falcon). Each Palkhisohala has its own shield. The Dehu Sansthan (organization) believes in the Vaishnav doctrine, which is why it is represented by the Garud-Takke. In the Mahabharata war all chariots had shields and flags. Since then the Sun, Hanuman, Moon, and all astrological signs are doctrines as well as beliefs. It is these signs which are moulded onto the ‘Abdagiri’.

A shingadya is a person who sounds off at the beginning of the march with an instrument shaped like a semi-circle. The veena is the most respected instrument in the Deendi. Whoever carries the veena is a Veenekari. The veenekari is the most honoured figure in the whole Sohala. Each time an aarti is sung at a resting place, or the early Morning Prayer performed, he must present himself as the representative of the Deendi along with the Pakhawaj player. Actually, the veena and Pakhawaj are instruments played in Shiva temples all over India. Both instruments are played in

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the Shaiva tradition, but they have first preference in the Vaishnav tradition. Behind the veenekari walks the Deendi.

In the order of honour the first in line of the Dindee is Malkachi Dindee—the Dindee of Dehu Sansthan, owner of the Palkhisohala. Jaripataka, another honour to the Palkhisohala, is a long, metal stick like a Dharmadand, and it confers the right to conduct religious discourses. Then the main Dindee of the festival marches ahead of the Rath (chariot which contains the palkhi) of the Palkhisohala. The Rath carries the Palkhi in which are placed the paduka (impressions in a mould of Tukaram’s footprints). The Rath is carried on the backs of a pair of bulls. Other Dindees walk behind the Rath in the order given.

The Dindee is made up of four lines of Talkaris (clappers who use small brass cups struck against each other to produce a bell-like sound), with one or two pakhawaj players in the middle. Talkaris consist of even number of lines of many people. The Talkari lines are spaced so that walking is safe. Singers in the Dindee sometimes play the harmonium. Singermusicians sing the abhangas of Tukaram, the ovis of Jnandev, Namdev and Janabai, the traditional ‘Gavalan’ (love gossip about Radha and Krishna), the Bharuds of Eknath and other abhangas, and songs of devotion by other saints of the Varkari Sampraday such as Chokhamela, Savata Mali, Gora kumbhar, Bahinabai and others.

The Tulsi-dharak, who carries the tulsi plant

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(used in ayurvedic medicine) on her head walks alongside a female group behind the musical performers ; the woman kalshi-dharak walks with a pot of water (kalshi) on her head. The drinking water is distributed in the procession.

There were 240 Dindees participating in the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala 2008, with roughly a minimum of fifty to a hundred men and women taking part in one Deendi.

Dindee

Dindees from a village come to register with the Dehu Sansthan so they can march with the Palkhi.

Once registered, it receives its number. It may be ahead of the Rath or at the back. The same procedure applies to the Alandi Sansthan. The Dindee is a group of people participating in the march of the palkhi. In military terms a Shiledar or Patil represents his group in a military march. Likewise, the Dindee pramukh (or chief) is responsible for maintaining order and looking after his Dindee. Since the Dindee comes under the Palkhi management, the Palkhi sohala resembles a march of army who leads a group of villages under one flag. Just as many Dindees do under the Dehu Palkhisohala. There is usually one Dindee from a village, but there may be more Dindees from that village In a Dindee a veenekari holds an honorary status in the Palkhi sohala. At each tal or overnight stop the veenekari must stand in the first row to sing the aarti when the palkhi arrives. The musical performers, including the pakhawaj-wadak (player) and talkaris,

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numbering roughly 8 to 14 companions. The chopdar is responsible for maintaining order while walking or marching on the procession route. Varkaris participating in a Dindee must walk only in their group and provide services such as bringing water, help out any member of the group, help in finding vegetables and milk on the way. The Dindee group carries enough food to last for 35 days. Women varkaris help to prepare food twice a day. The Tulsi-dhari woman and Ghada-kalshidhari woman represent Lord Vitthal’s favorite plant, the tulas. The tulas has many symbolic meanings. It is ayurvedic in nature, and acts as immediate medicine for anyone who falls ill during the journey.

Ringan

In the palkhisohala the ringan is the most important event, symbolizing two essential concepts: First, though the old military practice was transformed into the varkaris’ peaceful procession, the spirit of entertaining themselves remained the same. Secondly, the fitness of the varkari is important. People on the route who visit and have fun with the palkhisohala participate as spectators and join the march. Ringan shows how a battalion keeps its soldiers fit and mingles with the local culture. They exchange thoughts, play games, and demonstrate the best features of the tradition: hospitality and respect. Horses and other animals like goats and sheep are invested with a deep meaning in the tradition. In the military it was not only farmers with horses and bulls who fought in earlier times; sheep farmers also participated and carried out their duties. With regard to the belvadi ringan, sheep

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and goats were also included along with other aspects.

Some may think of Ringan as the practice by Ram, Samudragupta, Chandragupta, Ashok and others known as Ashwamedh. Ashwamedh means the sacrifice of a horse, perceived as a degradation of Brahminical culture. To keep one’s peace of mind and society intact are paramount concerns today. The Ashwamedh could only be conducted by a raja (king). Its aim was to acquire power and glory, sovereignty over neighbouring provinces, and general prosperity in the kingdom. This aim does not represent the varkari tradition.

In the Dehu-Pandharpur Palkhisohala there’s a gol ringan (running in circles) at Belwadi, Indapur, Akluj and Vakhri. At Malinagar and Bajiraochi Vihir there’s an Ubhe ringan (running straight). At Vakhari, Alandi and Dehu the palkhisohala comes together, along with other palkhis.

Vakhri Tal

Vakhri is five kilometers from Pandharpur. All palkhis arrive at Vakhri on the 10th day of Ashadh, or the day before Ekadashi.

Pandharpur

Pandharpur is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra. It sits on the banks of the Bhimā river, also known as the Chandrabhaga because of its half-moon-like shape. It is named after

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a merchant, Pandarika, who achieved self-realization there. In Marathi he is called Pundalik. His duty was to serve his parents, so he kept God waiting at his door.

He himself passed away and God is still waiting to serve his devotees. Pandharpur is surrounded by the most Shaiva-influenced doctrines and practices within a radius of a hundred miles, encompassing Ganagapur, Akkalkot and the shaktipeeth, Tuljapur.

The Vitthal temple on the banks of the Bhimā is the main attraction in Pandharpur; it is alternatively known as Pandhari. Pandharpur hosts four annual pilgrimages (varis) by Hindu devotees. Among them the pilgrimage in the month of Āshādh in the Hindu Shalivahan calendar attracts the largest number of pilgrims—around 500,000 to 700,000 people. The pilgrimage in the month of Kartik attracts the second largest number of pilgrims.

On the south bank of the Bhima sits Namdev’s 13th century dwelling, which matches the scale of a wealthy person’s house. His affection for Vithoba and his writings helped the varkari cult become prominent in Maharashtra. Today all other cults like Prabhupada and Iskon sit on the opposite banks of the Chandrabhaga. Many Deendi groups bought land around Pandharpur and set up permanent residence for the annual festival. Like the bhaktidham of Chakan and the Deendis of Khed. In the Pandharpur temple complex the Jnandev temple is on the right side, the Tukaram temple is on the left. The Namdev temple is in front.

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Chandrabhaga

The river is an important part of Indian culture.

It is the lifeline in rural areas. Certain religious and spiritual rituals are carried out in the flowing river water. As one of the five elements water has spiritual meaning. Seventy percent of the Earth is filled with water, as is our body. As we know, water is essential for our very existence.

In romantic matters the moon is the most discussed in palm astrology. The geography of the Bhima river is thus: water flows around the hills, and at its greatest flow during the monsoons it covers the riverbed, enters the town of Pandharpur and floods its streets. The land around the town tilts to one side.

In the Pandharpur area the Bhima river is called the Chandrabhaga because her course takes on the half moon’s semi-circular form. Fondly named this way as it appears like a crescent, the actual Chandrabhaga river is called the Chenab in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab. The temples one now sees in the riverbed may have been built centuries ago not in the riverbed but on the banks of the Bhima river. Further on it curves more and more inwards. One can see how this riverbed evolved. On the other side of the river is the 13th century dwelling of Namdev and his ancestor.

The evidence of that dwelling still exists. Theories of Vithoba as one who appeared as God to his devotees may have been questioned again and again in the past, and perhaps will be in the future. But physically and geographically the temples and riverbeds can be

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confirmed by witnesses.

At the time of the festival many varkaris visit the Chandrabhaga and bathe in it, just as many Hindu pilgrims in the north do in the Ganges. During the procession all the palkhis go to the river and take baths in it along with Tukaram’s and Jnandev’s footprints. Then they return and proceed to pay a visit to the Vitthal temple.

The Bhima begins in the heights of the Western Ghāts at Bhīmashankar and flows southeastward for 450 miles (725 km) in Mahārāshtra, joins the Krishna in Karnātaka, and flows out into the Bay of Bengal. The Sīna and Nīra rivers are major tributaries. The Bhīma runs through a deep valley, and its banks are heavily populated. Its water level is determined by changes in the monsoons; it no longer floods because of the huge Ujjani dam built on the river at Paithan. Local irrigation works augment the scant rainfall; major crops are jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), and oilseed.

Sugarcane is an important irrigated cash crop.

Vithoba

The legends of Vithoba revolve around the devotee, Pundalik, who is credited with bringing this deity to Pandharpur, and with Vithoba’s role as a savior of the saint-poets of the Varkari tradition.

“Vithoba”, “Pāndurang”, and “Pandharināth” are the popular names of the deity, Vitthal, who is considered the protector and savior of Lord Vishnu. Rakhumāi or Rukmini is Vitthal’s consort.

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Varkaris

Varkari

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The first myth of Vithoba is that of coming to meet his bhakta, Pundalik. The second myth is of his love for Lakhubai, the local woman. The third myth is about a shepherd who comes to help his beloved bhakta, and so on.

There are controversial theories concerning the appearance of Vitthal in society. All of southern India is involved in these myths. These are local myths about human nature as well as a mixture of Shaiva and Vaishnav myths. Or one could say they grew out of the collective gratitude of the people They are bound to the idea of human freedom, and. lead humanity to its highest achievement: Secularism, and the principle that all men are equal. Nothing can come between God and man.

The worship of Vitthal in the temple at Pandharpur is based mainly on the contributions of the Vaishnav saints of Maharashtra and Karnataka from the 13th to 17th centuries—specifically, Jnandev, Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram, Purandar Das, Vijay Das, Gopal Das and Jagannath Das have enhanced this worship.

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4:6 The Varkari and Society

Who is a Varkari? One who follows the path of devotion or the Bhakti Marga is a varkari. Another simple definition: one who walks in the Palkhisohala with a Deendi and follows the Varkari sect. The Varkari tradition is a part of the Bhakti spiritual tradition in Hinduism. Particularly in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. In Marathi varkari means one who travels to Pandharpur during a certain period. For example, during the Ashadh and Kartik months in the lunar calendar. More precisely, a traveller in the Palkhisohala goes to Pandharpur from all parts of the above-mentioned states.

The spiritual movement known as the Varkari Sampraday is so called because its followers travel hundreds of miles on foot to the holy town of Pandharpur.

The Varkari tradition has had an all-pervasive impact on the life of common people in Maharashtra and elsewhere for more than seven hundred years since the 13th century. The varkari has looked upon God as the ultimate truth and has, paradoxically, equated Him with his relations: mother, father, brother, etc., who are of the utmost value in his social life. ‘Mauli’ is a word that refers affectionately to any unknown person. This sect has accepted the principle that men are ultimately equal. Humanity is everyone’s

Varkaris

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joint family. It stresses values such as individual sacrifice, forgiveness, simplicity, overcoming passions, peaceful co-existence, compassion, non-violence, love. Humility in social life is illustrated by varkaris prostrating in front of each other because everybody is “Brahma”. All these values are the philosophical foundation of the Marathi Bhakti poets. The varkari sect tried to shape the attitude towards life of common people, which included the downtrodden castes and women. A person must cultivate a kind of detachment while living his life. The writings of the bhakti movements helped the common man lead the life he lives today.

The Saints of the varkari tradition made it possible to realize the “Almighty” in very simple words as I’ve indicated above. Each of them wrote verses in plain language. Each saint has tried to express in his own style the chanting of the Lord’s name so as to feel at one with Him. Such a state of mind surpasses all desires and negative thoughts. It allows people to come together as one.

A significant part of society has been transformed into the varkari sect from various other sects and religions as discussed in the spiritual and religious background of the Dehu-Alandi to Pandharpur pilgrimage routes. The vast socio-geographical background of the pilgrimage has played a major role in reforming society in secular terms. This transformation took time. As the rulers changed, so did the languages, and this had a profound influence on the faith and secular outlook of the varkaris. Sometimes, while

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leading a normal life, a very disturbing situation arises that blinds a person A person may then feel confused and end up disoriented in his own life or even in his social life. The varkari tradition is the one cultural certainty that provides solace.

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Group of artists drawing in pilgrimage with Author

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The sense of belonging A personal view

In India I have very often been asked: how did you get interested in Tukaram? A question that is asked by common people, journalists, press reporters, critics and enthusiasts who know the background.

They were simply puzzled by my passion.

My journey led me from Umbraj to Bombay, and then to The Hague in Holland. I was a 17-year-old teenager from Umbraj, spent nine years as a Mumbaikar and twenty-five years as a foreigner. All these years I lived among different peoples, struggling to survive. I led a restless life, but never stopped reading and writing. I traveled along many highways and byways. In the process I kept remembering my village, which seemed so attractive compared to the rat race of city life and the absence of my mother tongue among different peoples in foreign surroundings. And so I became introverted. The distance made me even more aware of my childhood memories of the countryside, my culture and religion—they dominated my thoughts; and naturally found their way into my writing. My first collection of poems, “Dashak” (Decade) was partly influenced by these impressions.

Tukaram’s roots in this soil are deep. When I first encountered his verses, my understanding had

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just begun, my eyes had begun to wander, my mind was receiving all sorts of impressions and it was all like a breath of fresh air. It was because of the discussions between my parents and relatives that I saw Tukaram and Jnandev depicted in the theatre, in keertan performances and in the pilgrimage to Pandharpur.

I saw a small statue of Vitthal and Rukmini standing next to the God Khandoba, paintings and statues of varkaris and saints inside and outside the temples.

These impressions were engraved on my mind from childhood.

When I first read Tukaram, his work was very hard to understand—I kept making the effort. At the time I was just beginning to understand the power of writing. For my secondary school examinations I chose art history instead of mathematics. I wasn’t sure of further schooling, so to make a living I joined a firm that made film posters in Bombay. In 1979 I was taking lessons at the Art Academy in Mumbai. Visuals accompanied the words, and vice versa. I find it difficult now to recall which came first, the visuals or the words. I was interested in the arts, but didn’t put much effort into it. I was doing mostly stage performances.

With my natural talent for the fine arts, I began to draw larger-than-life faces of movie stars, and colored them with oil paint. I realized the need for proper art education. I got admission to the Art Academy. I was supposed to attend evening courses in literature but it was simply not possible. I avidly read all kinds of new writing. In applied art, literature and the visual arts became more elaborate, supporting each other. I

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got more interested in my studies, won State Awards and people took an interest in my work. Drama, cinema, world trade fairs, literary publications and a new circle of friends occupied me day and night. After five years in an advertising course I obtained my Diploma of Applied Arts. And then started my mission to explore Tukaram’s Gatha in depth.

I went through an unstable period of my life in terms of hope and confidence. I had come to know another world. Advertising was a glamorous field, but I wanted to gain a full awareness of my capacities and intellectual ability. I started gathering information on advanced study in the arts in foreign countries and cultures—I made my move accordingly. That’s how I arrived in Holland. From 1983 to 1987 I lived in a completely different culture, with a different language and atmosphere. There were jarring contrasts: in the village I was a farm boy, in the city I was a country bum and in that foreign country I was an Indian. So I became conscious that I was nowhere—certainly not among my own people—and I felt like an alien.

Whenever I got a chance I visited the farm and enjoyed my stay there. Why this longing? I kept thinking about this. Where on this earth would I not have the feeling of being a stranger? I tried to find an answer to this question. Gradually, I began to understand the spiritual harmony between Tukaram and Vithoba. I began to see the meaning of not belonging to a people or a place. This is not a happy state to be in: neither a believer or devotee, nor an atheist. Then I started to believe in my own being. During the past

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twenty-five years I’ve been travelling between Europe and India. I’ve seen many aspects of life, come across many incidents, but I still cannot answer this question: why do I live in Europe and not in India, or why in India and not in Europe. One might say this is paradoxical, but I don’t see it that way. I search for meaning in the paradoxes or contradictions that these different traditions present. Together they become a mixture of philosophies, cultures and traditions, out of which my life has acquired a new meaning. The devotee and the deity stand face to face, like Tukaram and Vithoba.

The idea of combining visuals and poetry was fleshed out when I presented Dashak (Decade) in an exhibition. I selected ten poems and made paintings out of them. In one of the poems I realized the form of Vitthal. In the process of reading the abhangas in Tukaram’s Gatha the form became vivid. Images, forms, symbols and metaphors surface again and again in Tukaram’s verses. They inspired me. I produced drawings, paintings, sculptures, and graphics such as litho silk-screens. I have worked constantly in the spirit of meditation.

During my travels to and from my native place I read many books to satisfy my hunger for knowledge. Among them were Dilip Chitre’s books, ”Punha Tukaram”, and”Says Tuka” (selected verses by Tukaram in English translation). They quickened my desire to critically examine Tukaram and his poetry.

I’ve lived in Europe for the past twenty-five years. Visual art has been developing in Europe since

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the fifteenth century. Holland is the land of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh, Piet Mondrian and many other masters. That golden age is known to Europe and the whole world as the art of and for the common man, but this happened only in Holland. I work here and simultaneously exhibit my works. The cultural face of Europe is changing. The art world has come to the end of the road, and all isms are feeding on themselves. Flashes of genius are now emerging the world over, not just in certain regions. Malevich, Paul Klee, Picasso, Miro, Dali, Henry Moore—all have passed into history. They have brought people to the museums so they can be spiritually enriched. Now the art scene is desperately seeking new horizons.

I saw many images and forms in the dialogue between Tukoba and Vithoba. Those images and forms I put together, with colour, in the project “Your form is my creation”. It does not belong to any particular ism or style; it stands on its own. It is like a meditation on the visual world.

Visual art has been well-developed in Europe over five centuries, and it has had its ups and downs according to the growth and development of Europe.

Somewhere or other change takes place but we’re hardly aware of it in our lifetime, though we may be nearby.

In April 2008 I came back to India by land from Holland with an art caravan. Along the roads of the Indian subcontinent I exhibited the work of artists from 80 nations in ten Indian cities, from Amritsar to

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Bangalore, under the title, SHOW YOUR HOPE—80 Questions Around the World. I decided to travel with the Pandharpur Vari (pilgrimage) to experience a centuries-old tradition, sketch book and camera in hand to celebrate Tukaram’s 400th birth anniversary with his Palkhi. I walked with the common folk and witnessed the glorious celebration of the life of a great poet. This celebration by hundreds of thousands, full of life, speaks more persuasively than all the words of Tukaram and the other saint poets.

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Alandi to Pandharpur Palkhisohala Route

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Dehu to Pandharpur Palkhisohala Route

Tulsidhari women in Ringan

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Singing and dancing while walking in Vari.

Midday and noon time walk on pilgrimage route

An Evening at village

Samaj Aarti of day

Varkaris at Sarati

Ringan at Belwandi

Young varkaris welcoming Palkhi at Alandi

Departure day of sant Dyaneshwar Palkhi at Alandi

Mid day rest in farm

Night time rest at Village

Music after midday meal

Chandrabhaga river

Chandrabhaga river

Pandharpur

Vaishwik Pune