To each his own

The yearly journey of faith gives NGOs and other charitable organisations,including the local municipal corporation officers,a chance to spread important social messages. Raju Gaikwad is a worker with the PMC. He talks about how the PMC pitches some essential information through the rally; “Every year for the last decade,we have been travelling with the warkaris,upholding placards and banners regarding the importance of personal health and hygiene,of education,and even planting trees to help save the environment. Occasions like these are a great way of educating the people who come from far off places.”

There are many who voluntarily hand out food packets to the travellers,while mobile dispensaries provide treatment to them,and a few others set up places of lodging and boarding free of cost. Appa Shelar,who has a small carpentry shop in Bhavani Peth,feeds a simple meal of rice and vegetables to some of the pilgrims. “I have never travelled the entire distance of the palkhi,but I love to feed the people who travel. This is my way of serving god,” he says.

The palkhis halts in the city for a period of two days. “It is a great leveler,just like the teachings of both these saints,” says Venkat Babu Pawar,who comes from Ambajogai and has been travelling with the Palkhis for the last ten years. “All the people who undertake the journey are bought on a common ground. There are no differences left.”

Perhaps the best definition of the faith and the determination involved is provided by Datta Adsule,who is from Osmanabad. “I have been coming for the palkhi since even before I had got married. I have the blessing of both the saints,that is enough for me. Rest everything is immaterial if you have god on your side,” he says,as he continues to joyously sing the abhangs and disappears into the human sea.