PUNE: The delayed monsoon has cast its shadow on the annual Wari and nearly one lakh warkaris might not make it f due to work on farms.
Palkhi Head and Chief Trustee of the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Sansthan Committee, Ajit More, told Sakal Times that due to the delayed monsoon, most of the farmers who join the Wari have not sowed in their farms. Therefore, nearly one lakh warkaris (pilgrims) would not be able to take part in this year’s Wari.
Chief Trustee of Shree Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan Committee, Advocate Vikas Dhage Patil, said, “There are 440 dindis registered with the Shree Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan Committee, Alandi. Around 4 to 4.5 lakh warkaris participate in the Pandharpur dindi from Alandi every year. But this year since the monsoon has been delayed, around one lakh warkaris will not participate. However, the dindi heads (pramukhs) have informed us that if there are sufficient rains the farmers will sow the seeds and then join.”
APP TO KEEP TRACK
To keep track of dindis, the Shree Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan Committee launched a ‘Mauli Vitthal Yatra’ app keeping in tune with this year’s theme ‘Harit Wari’ (Green Wari) and ‘Plastic-Free Wari’. The preparations of putting up shelters and installing water dispensers have been done. The Sant Tukaram Wari will reach Sangam Bridge at 4.30 pm while the Sant Dnyaneshwar’s Wari will reach Sangam bridge at 5.30 pm.
More said this year, there were 330 registered dindis from Sant Tukaram Maharaj Sansthan Committee, Dehu. “Sticking to the theme of this year, we will be giving indigenious saplings and seeds to the warkaris so that they can plant them on their way. We have informed all dindi pramukhs to carry only necessary steel utensils with them. We will be providing them leaf plates and bowls if necessary.”
To keep track of the warkaris and their vehicles, the dindi pramukh’s name, contact number and address has been registered in this app along with the Wari vehicle number. This app has GPS system in it and it can track the dindi pramukh and vehicle.
