Warkaris brave ailments, surgeries to walk for faith

Warkaris commence their annual pilgrimage on foot to Pandharpur from Dehu and Alandi and are scheduled to arrive in the city on Saturday

Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi procession left from Alandi on Friday for Pandharpur and will reach Pune on Saturday, along with Sant Tukaram palkhi. (Souorce: Express photo by Rajesh Stephen)

As warkaris commence their annual pilgrimage on foot to Pandharpur from Dehu and Alandi and are scheduled to arrive in the city on Saturday, Mandar Deshpande (66) and his wife Meghana are eagerly waiting to join the wari. Both have underwent surgeries — a bypass for Mandar and knee surgery for Meghana but they want to continue the tradition of joining the wari which they have been doing for the last eight years.

“I was in the Gulf as part of my work when I underwent a bypass surgery in 2001,” said Mandar who retired as an electronics engineer.
“After I returned to Pune, I decided not to get bogged down by the problem and started walking slowly. I picked up pace eventually and while I do not complete the entire stretch till Pandharpur, it is 20 km from Pune to Saswad. The sight is also enchanting, especially at Dive Ghat and it has always been important for us to participate in the wari,” he added. For Meghana who underwent a surgery for a knee fracture while she was in the Gulf, it was challenging to walk even a kilometre. But now they look forward to the wari not only as a devotional walk but also as an adventure.

“I accompany my husband and there are other friends of our age group who are suffering from aches, but we forget everything while walking with the Lord,” said Meghana. She added that there was no formal preparation for the walk and they would start at 6 am on Monday.

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Dr Praful Wani, a 62-year-old anaesthetist, who had a vertebral fracture, walks in the wari every year. “For the past three years I have been joining the dindi. We start from Indian Medical Assocation’s office and walk all the way to Saswad,” said Wani. He added although there is pain at times, one comes across so many different people during the wari that it is difficult to complain.

Balasaheb Mutake Maharaj (39), who participates in dindi number 17 and works at Cummins India, ensures that he applies for leave well in advance for the pilgrimage. “I have been walking all the way to Pandharpur for the past 12 years and it is an unforgettable experience. I am especially involved in looking after persons with disabilities who walk in the wari. We all walk together singing devotional bhajans. It is a stress-free atmosphere,” said Mutake Maharaj.

Dr Shailesh Hadgaonkar, orthopaedic and spine surgeon explains that many warkaris are used to walking for hours in farms. Abdominal and back muscles are strengthened due to walking and hence their bodies are often agile, Hadgaonkar said explaining how most warkaris can walk for 20 days at a stretch. “The stopovers are also relaxing and while we do get complaints after the wari is over, there has not been a rise in the number of patients,” he said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More

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