IGNCA Exhibition Relives The Pandharpur Vari Experience
By A Draft Correspondent | Mumbai
An Exhibition on Pandharpur Vari: A Confluence of Faith & Affection was organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) as part of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav from 11 February 2023 to 19 February 2023 at Azad Maidan, Mumbai.
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| This exhibition is an effort by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to present the faith and affection of the Varkaris for Mauli |
Inaugurated by Union Minister For Culture, Tourism & Development Of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Government of India, G. Kishan Reddy and Minister for Forests, Cultural Affairs, Fisheries, Government of Maharashtra, Sudhir Mungantiwar, it was a heartwarming event.
Pandharpur is a well-known pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhaga River in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. The Vithoba/Vitthal temple attracts about a million pilgrims during the major yatra in Ashadh (June–July) known as Vari. The Pandharpur Yatra held every year, is one of the biggest pilgrimages in Maharashtra.
It is the main centre of worship for Vithoba and his consort Rakhumai (Rukmini). Lord Vitthal is regarded as the affectionate Mauli (Mother) by the followers known as Varkaris. Varkari is a Marathi term which means one who performs the Vari or one who venerates the Vithoba.
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| The exhibition on Pandharpur Vari: A Confluence of Faith & Affection |
The Vari involves carrying the paduka of the Sants in a palkhi, most notably of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram, from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. The tradition is more than 800 years old and thousands of Varkaris join this procession and proceed on foot from various locations in Maharashtra and nearby states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka to Vithoba temple, Pandharpur. The journey culminates at the Vithoba temple on the holy tithi of Ashadhi Ekadashi. The yatra presents an excellent example of equality where social stratas of the pilgrims dissolve automatically.
Vithoba has been worshipped by many Maharashtra sants who include Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram, Sant Namdev, Sant Eknath, Sant Nivruttinath, Sant Muktabai, Sant Chokhamela, Sant Savata Mali, Sant Narhari Sonar, Sant Gora Kumbhar and Sant Gajanan Maharaj . The compositions of these sant known as Abhangas in Marathi are sung during the yatra to spiritual journey for the devotees to the home of their affectionate Mauli.
This exhibition is an effort by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to present the faith and affection of the Varkaris for Mauli, as seen during Pandharpur Ashadhi Vari, both in spirit and visual.
An one-day seminar was organised by IGNCA as part of the ongoing exhibition Pandharpur Vari: A Confluence of Faith and Affection at Azad Maidan Mumbai during the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. Speakers Dr. Sarayu Doshi, Dr. Sadanand Sridhar More, Dr. Abhay Tilak, Dr. Prabhakar Kolekar and Dr. Ganesh Kumar spoke at length on the Spiritual, Sociological, Anthropological, Literary aspects of Vari, the Varkari way of life and the musical aspects of Abhangas by Varkari sants and their performative aspects.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Culture Meenakshi Lekhi and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Patil also visited the exhibition.
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