Warkari wave sweeps Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad

This was the first time citizens could have a glimpse of the palkhi chariot from Nashik Phata flyover opened four months back.

The palkhi of Sant Dyaneshwar on the Sangamwadi Bridge. (Source: Express Photo by Sandeep Daundkar)

Pune city and the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad were caught in a warkari wave with lakhs embarking on the three-week pilgrimage that will continue till Ashadi Ekadashi. As has been the tradition the annual palkhi processions of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Saint Tukaram were welcomed in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune city, amid chants of bhajan and sounds of traditional music instruments.

Both processions entered Pune through separate routes and by evening, streets in Shivajinagar and Peth areas were filled with lakhs of warkaris. They had descended on temple town Dehu and Alandi from various parts of Maharashtra and a few other states.

Divided into several “dindis” (groups), some carried idols of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram on their heads, while a few others carried “tulsi” pots. Several warkaris swayed holding saffron flags. The old, the infirm, men and women walked hand in hand to honour their commitment to the tradition of “wari.”

The warkaris will halt in Pune for 36 hours and proceed towards Pandhapur.

Narhari Chavan, an 83-year old devotee from Nashik district, said, “This is my consecutive 12th year of participation in the wari. I am more than happy to achieve this feat. I was bit skeptical about joining this year considering my old age, but eventually decided to take part.”

Mahesh Jadhav, a class VII student form Parli taluka in Beed district was taking part in the procession for the first time. “I am very excited to travel on foot to Pandhapur. Hope I will have lot of fun and learning,” said Mahesh, who is accompanied by his family.

In Pimpri-Chinchwad, amidst the tree-lined Pune-Mumbai highway, the palkhi arrival provided a spectacular view from Nashik Phata flyover. Motorists stopped on the flyover for a bird’s eye view of Sant Tukaram palkhi as it headed towards Pune city. This was the first time citizens could have a glimpse of the palkhi chariot from Nashik Phata flyover opened four months back.

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The Sant Tukaram palkhi arrived from temple town of Dehu in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday. Thousands of warkaris accompanied it. The palkhi made an overnight halt at Akurdi temple. Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Rajiv Jadhav and Mayor Mohini Lande were among those who welcomed the palkhi. Around 4 am on Saturday, PCMC chief and Akurdi temple trustee Gopalrao Kute performed “aarti” of the palkhi before it left the temple. The palkhi headed towards Pune city between halts at Kalbhornagar, Chinchwad station, Pimpri chowk, Kharalwadi, Vallabhnagar, Kasarwadi, Phugewadi and Dapodi where lunch was served to warkaris.

The palkhi had earlier halted at HA Colony where warkaris had breakfast. Along the highways, activists, families and members of social and voluntary organisations waited to provide food, biscuits, fruits and water to warkaris. At Pimpri chowk and Nashik Phata chowk, activists and citizens had come from across Pimpri-Chinchwad and neighbouring areas to serve warkaris.

Like every year, B J Bhatia had come along with family, friends and nearly 120 kilo “pohas” in a tempo. “For the past seven years, we have been serving pohas to warkaris,” said Bhatai as his group took care of breakfast of hundreds of warkaris. Maruti Owhal, a local resident, had brought boxes of mineral water bottles in a tempo for warkaris. “It gives me a sense of satisfaction,” he said.

Vilas Kunjir and his wife of Pimple Saudagar distributed 5000 bananas. Similarly, Shwetal Balika was seen distributing 40 kg ladoo.

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Women’s activists Anita Landge and Padma Kaskar and others joined the procession at Pimpri and walked till Phugewadi. “We left for Pimpri early morning and waited for the palkhi at Pimpri chowk before walking along,” said Landge. “I am going to walk to Pandharpur…I did this last year. I am going with the wari to Pandharpur,” said Landge.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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