Warkaris at Sadhu Vaswani Mission Pune

Warkaris pay obeisance at Sadhu Vaswani Mission, Pune on their way to Pandharpur

The strings of the tambura struck, and the hand cymbals came together, and echoed aloud the chants of ‘Vitthal Vitthal Sri Hari Vitthal’! Finally, after a 2-year pandemic wait, the dearest devotees of the Lord arrived at the Sadhu Vaswani Mission! The spirit, energy, and enthusiasm of the warkari’s was so love-filled that everyone present was immersed in the ecstatic chanting!

23rd June 2022, the Mission was brimming with their presence. As they entered the Mission premises, they were ushered to the Sacred Kutiya where they were requested to light the lamp before the portrait of the Masters. Following the aarti, in their most melodious, folk voice they sang abhangs – devotional poetry praising Lord Vitthala. The atmosphere was indescribable. They concluded the session with the singing of the pasaydan prayer. Didi Krishna Kumari, who was present throughout the session, served prasad to the warkaris that included food items that can be consumed during the holy fast.

What came next was a sight to behold! Right from the Sacred Kutiya they made formations and performed their traditional dance all the way to the Sacred Samadhi of the Great Masters – Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani and Revered Dada J.P. Vaswani. Here, they offered their loving homage.

The warkaris visit also brought back fond memories between them and Revered Dada.

On one such annual Pandharpur Wari, Revered Dada mentioned how his Guru had taught him to not be a Bhakta, but a bhakta of the bhaktas, servant of the Bhaktas and he had said, “You all are bhaktas and I bow down to each one of you. Bhakti is the soul of India and may the Warkaris grow and inspire more and more on the path of devotion.”

Indeed, this annual warkari tradition has kept alive the essence of bhakti, of spirituality. As the warkaris took their leave and headed onward to their Yatra to Pandharpur, devotees bowed down in reverence with a promise to meet again next year.