Fair, Festivals & Events in Pandharpur

Festivals: Pandharpur Vithoba Shrine of Lord Krishna is a godly place where numbers of festivals are observed every month and year to pay reverence to the Lord. Ekadashi and Palkhi are two major festivals of the Pandharpur shrine that are observed weekly and annually. 

Palki Procession: At Pandharpur Temple, every Wednesdays is regarded as the most auspicious day in the Week after ekadashis, often the most auspicious couplet days in the month according to the Hindu calendar. Pandharpur Temple hosts four important religious yatras in a year. Out of these four Yatras, the three Aashadi Yatra, Kartiki Yatra, Magh and Chaitra Ekadashi’s are processional festivals celebrated annually. Aashadi and Chaitra Yatra are more popular with the crowd and are attended by more than 8 to 10 lac people. Pandharpur Palki festival is celebrated in full pomp and gaiety accompanied by small and big palanquins of renowned saints of India. The colourfully ornate palanquins are first gathered at Wakhri, 5 km before Pandharpur. After Wakhri, pilgrims take bath in the river water of Bhima and proceed to have a darshan of Lord Vitthal.

A 1000-year-old tradition, Palki Festival commences in the month of Jyestha of Hindu calendar. Preparations for the festival start a month before the date of Palki Festival when Palanquins are constructed in beautiful wooden frameworks and painted in various shades. Before carrying out the procession, the idols of Saint Dyaneshwar and Tukaram are kept inside the palanquin. The procession euphoria along with the temple lasts for 3 weeks. Over more than sixty Palkhis from all over the Maharashtra gather at Wakhri to participate in the Pandharpur procession. The Palanquins of Dnyaneshvar sets out from Alandi while that of Tukaram from Dehu, of Nivrittinath from Tryambakeshwar, and of Ekanath from Paithan. All the Palkhis reach to Pandharpur during the 2st half of the 11th day in the Hindu month of Aasadh. The final day of the Palki is ever most enchanting wherea union of all pilgrims hallow the air with the chants of Jai Vithoba Jai Rukmini!