A journey of a lifetime
For Additional SP Ravindrasinh Pardeshi,travelling with the warkaris from Pune to Pandharpur as a part of bandobast duty,redefined the meaning of devotion,spirituality and faith
4 min read
He still remembers the exact date and time. It was July 4,around 12.30 pm,an extremely hot afternoon at Urulikanchan. Additional Superintendent of Police (Baramati division) Ravindrasinh Pardeshi was walking along with the palkhi. After covering half a kilometre,he realised that the road was relatively empty and a vehicle could have easily passed. He snapped at his driver for not getting the vehicle. Then I came across an old lady,who looked like she was around 85-90 years old. With a bent back,a potli in her hand,she was walking on the side of the road. I asked her,Ajji tu kuthe chalali (Grandmother,where are you going). She replied that she is walking towards the station to catch a train to Baramati and join the palkhi, recalls Pardeshi. The sight was humbling and made him realise how people fuss about trivial things while an old and frail lady was defying her age and walking with her belongings without complaining. The incident,he says,became a lesson for life. The real meaning of the phrase Down to earth was revealed to me that day, adds the police official,who travelled along with the palkhi as a part of the bandobast duty this year. The palkhi started from Dehu on June 29 and reached Pandharpur on July 19.
Pardeshi says it was his first experience of covering the whole yatra and a longstanding desire was fulfilled. In normal circumstance,it would be impossible to get such a long leave considering my professional obligations. I am fortunate I got such an opportunity to be part of the yatra,even if it was officially, he says enthusiastically.
A commerce graduate from Aurangabad,Pardeshi joined the police department at the age of 22 as a sub-inspector in Nagpur. He cleared the examination of Direct Deputy Superintendent in 2001 and was posted in Gadchiroli. In 2007,he was transferred to Pune division where he served till 2010. Before handling Baramati division,his current posting,he served as the Additional Superintendent at Osmanabad division from 2010 to 2012.
The experience of palkhi,Pardeshi says,reminded him of his humble roots and took him back to his childhood days. We are five siblings three sisters and two brothers. My father was in the Aurangabad agriculture department and the job included a lot of travelling. Against social norms that say women shouldnt do farming,my mother took to farming. She was determined to give good education to all her children despite all odds. In fact,the villagers used to call her Indira Gandhi, he says,adding,I grew with immense respect for my mother; she made me who I am today.
Impressed by the display of faith and devotion he witnessed on the journey,Pardeshi says he has never seen anything like it before. He shares that at Pandharpur,he noticed that people stood in a queue that stretched six to seven kilometres. It was raining heavily,there was sludge all around but the devotees stood with the for around 25-30 hours without complaining,hoping to get darshan. It shows their sheer faith and devotion, he says.
Till a few years ago,Pardeshis father was a regular at the palkhi and covered the entire stretch. Now,because of his health he is unable to continue so he is very happy that if not him,at least his son was able to join the pilgrimage, he concludes.
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