Pandharpur Vitthal Temple

The Vitthal temple at Pandharpur is the heart of the Varkari tradition, where Krishna is worshipped as Vitthal, or Vithoba, beside his consort Rukmini on the bank of the Chandrabhaga river. The deity stands with both hands resting on the hips upon a brick, and twice a year vast pilgrim processions carry the saints’ palkhis to his door.

The home of the Varkari faith

Pandharpur, in the Solapur district of Maharashtra, is the central place of pilgrimage for the Varkari movement, a devotional tradition built on songs, simple living and regular journeys to the temple. For its followers, the town is the spiritual centre of their faith.

Here Vishnu, in the form of Krishna, is venerated as Vitthal or Vithoba, a deity especially close to the people of Maharashtra and Karnataka. His consort Rukmini, known affectionately as Rakhumai, has her own shrine within the complex.

The lord who waits on a brick

The image of Vitthal is shown standing upright with both hands placed on the hips, a posture unlike that of most Vishnu forms. He stands upon a brick, the vit that gives the deity his name.

Tradition explains the brick through the story of Pundalik, a devotee so absorbed in serving his parents that he tossed a brick for the waiting lord to stand on. Vitthal, the story goes, has waited there ever since, a model of the bond between god and devotee.

The wari pilgrimages

Twice each year, on Ashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi, enormous processions known as the wari converge on Pandharpur. Pilgrims walk for days, singing the songs of the saints as they go.

The processions carry the palkhis, the palanquins bearing the symbolic footwear of the saint-poets Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, from their home towns to Pandharpur. The Ashadhi wari in particular is among the largest foot pilgrimages in the region.

• Ashadhi Ekadashi wari
• Kartiki Ekadashi wari
• Palkhis of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram

Touching the feet of the lord

Pandharpur is unusual among major temples in allowing devotees to approach the deity closely, and at times to touch the feet of Vitthal. This direct contact is part of what draws pilgrims and shapes the warmth of the worship here.

The temple sits beside the Chandrabhaga, the local name for the Bhima river, where pilgrims bathe before darshan. River, town and temple together form one sacred whole for the Varkari community.

Frequently Asked Questions

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