Wari—a walk for inner peace

A troupe of IT employees known as ‘IT Dindi’, express their experience of what it means to be part of a distinctive 800-year-old tradition of the Wari, a 250 kms pilgrimage on foot, to Lord Vitthala temple in

For 16 years, the IT Dindi restricted their Wari from Alandi to Saswad, a 48 kms journey on foot. However, this is the second year, that over 35 IT professionals geared for the complete Wari to Pandharpur, walking a distance of 250 kms for 21 days. Besides this, it was the first time that the IT Dindi participated in both Saint Tukaram and Saint Dyaneshwar palkhis (palanquin processions).

A senior IT professional, Anamika Mavle, who was part of the IT Dindi, said that this is the second year she is taking part in the Wari to Pandharpur. The devotion of her mother towards Lord Vitthal inspired her to take the on-foot pilgrimage to Pandharpur. “After joining the Wari I realised that this is the thing which I always wanted to do in my life—a path towards self-discovery of truth. During the Wari, we sang and danced on Shri Hari Vitthal bhajans, and interacted with people from different walks of life, particularly other devotees from rural areas,” she said.

Anamika Mavle

One of the challenging path she says was while they were traversing through the Dive Ghat, a mountain pass near Pune city. Talking about an incidence she said, “I met a lady who shared a golden thread with me, saying Mauli aur Aatma ek hi hai (Lord and our soul is one and the same) and when you start your Wari, the concern of success or failure disappears, and only Mauli, the almighty, remains in your life. These words will be etched in my memory for lifetime”.

For the 21 days, the pilgrimage covers 250 kms on foot from Alandi to Pandharpur, that to depending on bare minimum needs, which needs maximum mental and physical strength. Sharing her Wari experience, Anamika said, “Once you start walking with millions of others, you forget about everything else—the sleep hours, the pressures of everyday tasks and life's obstacles. Our Dindi had trucks carrying all our necessities, such as tents, gas stoves, and other essentials for daily living. During our stay, we adhered to strict discipline for sleeping, eating, and performing daily tasks, including puja.”

Ashish Pethkar

The magic of Mauli, Anamika says makes them feel unbounded and at ease, with the divine walking with them and guiding them althrough. “The Wari takes a halt in a village, for an overnight rest period on its way, and next day early morning it moves for the onward journey. With each step of this stopovers and daytime walking we move forward, I felt like I am uncovering layers of my materialistic burdens in order to find the core,” she adds.

For Ashish Pethkar, Senior Manager at eClerx, in Pune, the Wari he says, works as a soul cleanser, purifying him from within. “Regardless of one’s background, everyone in the Wari address each other as Mauli and touch each other's feet, believing that Lord Vitthal resides in everyone’s heart and reveals himself to us in any form. I realised that if someone is touching my feet, it is because I deserve it for the Mauli that resides in me. This realisation has deeply touched me and changed my life,” said Ashish.

Walking and chanting the mantra “Gyanoba Tukaram” and dancing with other pilgrims, Ashish says it makes him forget all his worries and problems. “In the Wari, I meet pilgrims who are pure in heart, who made me reflect on myself and look inward. That whole experience has taught me that true joy can be found in simplicity,” he concludes.

This year, the IT Dindi had introduced special services, like you can choose a day-long pilgrimage, and where you want to start and end your journey, with a pick and drop bus service.