Memories…

(At the onset itself wanna clarify it will be a long post or maybe a series of posts)
Parabrahmalingam Bhaje Pandurangam…

Jay Jay Raghuveer Samarth…

Aai Ambabai chya navana udo, udo, udo…

Jay Bhanvani Jay Shivaji…

Har Har Mahadeo…

Pawankhindit pawan zaali, jinkalit baaji, “BAAJI” jaato deva gharti, marnyala raaji…

Memories of a journey to divine and brave…

Just a few days back, 9th May to be precise embarked on a journey to a few places in Satara and Kolhapur, the so called western Maharashtra… The land of Vitthal, the land of Ambabai, the land of Swami Ramdas, the land of Shivaji, the land of Shahu Maharaj, the erstwhile Maharashtra which is full of stories of bravery and freedom…

A family of 13, kids, middle aged and aged but young at heart, came together for this journey… An experience for which we were planning from last two months… I was personally jittery at the thought of the journey being a success as my brother in law and myself had planned it… And I was doing it for the first time…

A small but spacious SLV, very cosy for everyone arrived at my building gates sharp at 6.30… We embarked and left for Charni Road to pick up the remaining team, my in laws…

Being a morning, we reached home by 7.30 and by 7.45 the team had embarked on a journey… A journey to meet the Goddess of Clan (my in-laws Kuldevtaa)… A journey to meet the known yet unknown… A journey to find one own’s identity…

Our destination today was Pandharpur… To meet Lord Vitthal (one who stands on the brick “vitt”)(also known as Pandurang)… A path known to many generations… A place holy for many a warkari… A place where Namdeo, Tukaram, Eknath, Dnyaneshwar and the leading saints look to and in unison called out to… Even today the warkaris remember them and chant,
“Nivrutti, Dnyandev, Sopan, Muktabai, Eknath, Namdeo, Tukaram”

Many Abhangs have been written about Vitthal… Purely divine and full of philosophy… “Firtya chakavarti dei matila aakaar, Vitthala tu veda kumhar”… “Teerth Vitthal, Kshetra Vitthal…” “Pauli chale Pandharichi vaat…”…

The journey from Mumbai to Pandharpur was a long one, of about 7-8 hours. Ay the same time very smooth due to the roadways… We travelled by Mumbai-Pune expressway and then through Pune towards Pandharpur… Our driver Shabbirbhai had travelled there many a times so route was never going to be a problem… Throughout the route we talked and chatted (luckily the bus music system was not working)… We ate and slept… We also shared stories of Pandharpur and the Lord with the kids, who listened to them with interest…

Finally we reached Pandharpur and the intensity to see the Lord mounted…

To come in part 2…