The Varkari Sampradaya: The Wari
From: Celebration of Faith: Play, Performance and Pleasure on the Wari Photography: Kamesh Bharadwaj Curations and Captions: Kartikay Khetarpal Source: Sahapedia
"Varkari can refer to an individual or group who undertakes a pilgrimage to the temple of Lord Vithoba or Vitthala in the town of Pandharpur in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Lord Vithoba himself, and the pilgrimage to Pandharpur can, in many respects, be considered the most important, popular deity and pilgrimage in Maharashtra. Indeed, in some manner, the pilgrimage itself defines the idea of Maharashtra as a distinct region as pilgrim processions from the different cities and towns converge on this sacred center."
"Some Warkaris carry small idols of Vitthal and Rukmini on their shoulders as they walk towards Pandharpur."
"Be it night or day, the Warkaris frequently come together to sing the abhangas or devotional poems of the many sant-kavis revered in their tradition."
"The Vasudeos are a community of mendicants who roam the streets of Pandharpur seeking alms and singing bhajans in the praise of Vitthal."
"The Dyaneshwar Maharaj Mandir in Pandharpur is the place where the Dyaneshwar palkhi rests for the five days that it will stay in the town before on the day of the upcoming Purnima (full moon) when it starts making its way back to Alandi like all the other palkhis."
"The 16th-century sant-kavi Eknath wrote hundreds of such drama-poems. Many are in the voice of Mahals, as well as women and Muslims. Some are spiritual allegories."
"Bhajan and kirtan are an indispensable part of the Wari."
