The Ashadhi Wari Palkhi is only a few days away. Ahead of the commencement of their procession, the Warkaris reach the temple towns of Alandi and Dehu. However, this year, they are about to witness the disturbing sight of a thick layer of toxic foam on the Indrayani River, where they perform their rituals.
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Citizens and environmental activists have voiced concern about the pollution and have demanded that both the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) take strict action against those responsible.
According to the citizens and activists, the chemicals and toxic waste released from industries and untreated water from laundries are the primary reasons behind this river pollution.
Despite the river’s religious significance and its course through pilgrimage sites like Dehu and Alandi, the problem has been recurring.
A video of the toxic foam on the Indrayani River was shared by a user on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, "The pollution on the banks of Indrayani River is so terrible that one would faint. The chemicals which have been released in the water have turned it white."
Demanding action, netizens said, "It’s not a nadi (river) anymore, it’s become a gutter." "Do politicians here drink the same river water?" asked another user.
What is Ashadhi Wari Palkhi?
The Palkhis, processions of palanquins carrying the Paduka or the revered symbolic footwear of Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, commence their journeys from Dehu and Alandi and reach Pandharpur on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.
Traditionally, the Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi halts at the Inamdar Wada in Dehu on the night of its departure, while the Palkhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj halts at Gandhi Wada in Alandi at night. Upon arriving in Pune city, both Palkhis take a rest day—the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi at Nivdunga Vitthal Mandir and the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi at the Palkhi Vithoba Mandir. The next day, both Palkhis start their separate journeys towards Pandharpur.
