On the eleventh day of the bright moon in the month of Aashaad hundreds of devotees of the Warkari clan, singing & dancing all the way to rhythmic beats reach the temple town of Pandharpur, to have a glimpse of Lord Vitthal. Not only men, but hundreds of women too join the procession to meet the Lord themselves. Saint women like Janabai, Bahinabai, Muktabai, Soyrabai, Kanhopatra were devotees and that encouraged other women to be followers of the Pandharpur Wari. This week Reportaaz highlights the fervor and dedication of women who come together from all parts of Maharashtra with a cause to share their commitment with God and explores the significance the temple town holds for them. Watch this extraordinary episode of Reportaaz on Sunday, 24th June at 11:30 am and 8:30 pm only on IBN-Lokmat.
Since its inception, the clan‘s activities were significant considering the period when women‘s rights & liberation weren‘t even taken into account. Sant Dnyaneshwar‘s sister Muktabai (1279 1297), his servant Janabai (1260 1353), Sant Tukaram‘s disciple Bahinabai (1628 1708) proved to be effective poets. In times when women were discouraged from worshipping & striving for salvation, they proved otherwise. So women too joined in large numbers in this pilgrimage as Malkaris. In the eyes of Lord Vitthal, everyone is equal. They are his worshippers & have no other identity. The Warkaris and Malkaris represent an enigmatic unbroken tradition, which has cut across centuries and barriers of caste and creed, despite the austerity and hardships involved.
The phenomenon can be only be understood in the words of those who embark on the amazing pilgrimage. Tune into Reportaaz this week to find out more about women and their relationship with Lord Vithoba, what drives them to travel on foot for hundreds of miles and how this journey has a personal relevance to them on Sunday, 24th June 2012 at 11:30 am and 8:30 pm only on IBN-Lokmat.