Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the wee hours today performed the ‘mahapuja’ of Lord Vithal and Goddess Rukmini at Pandharpur in Solapur district on the occasion of ‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’.
‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’ marks the culmination of the nearly month long ‘wari’ (pilgrimage) to Pandharpur from different parts of Maharashtra. Fadnavis along with his wife Amruta performed the rituals at the temple. He said he prayed for a drought free Maharashtra. “I pray to Lord Vithhal for prosperity and happiness of farmers & people of Maharashtra,” Fadnavis tweeted. Speaking at a function organised by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and state environment department, the Chief Minister last evening appealed to members of Warkari community to come forward for environmental preservation.
“State will develop Pandharpur as pilgrimage destination and provide funds to clean river Chandrabhaga,” he added. The pilgrimage to Pandharpur has a history of over 700 years where over one million devotees travel on foot to worship Lord Vithal from across the state. The two main ‘Palkhis’ that go to the temple town are that of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar from Pune district.
