KUNDAN RAJPUT
NASHIK:
Showing disapproval to a decision taken by state home minister Ajit Pawar to carry holy paduka of all the Sant brethren of Sant Dyneshwar to Pandharpur by a helicopter for Aashadhi Ekadashi which falls on July 1, the priests of Sant Nivruttinath Maharaj temple at Trimbakeshwar have expressed their reluctance.
The temple priests are instead demanding provision of Shivshahi bus to transport holy paduka to Pandharpur. They are to raise the issue with the district collector.
Due to the Coronavirus lockdown, the festival of Ashadhi Ekadashi will not be held like usual . Normally lakhs of warkaris that is devotees congregate at Pandharpur, however in advent of the carona pandemic the festival will nit be held and will only be a ritual. The festival sees lakhs if warkaris bring in padukas of sant Dnyaneshwar from Alandi, sant Nivruttinath from Trimbakeshwar, and those of other brothers and sister of sant Dnyaneshwar to Pandharpur.
The Kumbh Mela of Vaishnavas is held in Pandharpur every year with warkaris in lakhs from across the state leading palanquin procession on foot of different saints -Dnyaneshwar Mauli, Tukaram Maharaj, Sopan Kaka, Muktai, Nivruttinath Maharaj and many more and finish their journey at this sacred pilgrimage centre on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
Avoiding the huge gathering the government decided not to conduct the yatra but allow ritualistic pooja.
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar decided to carry padukas of all the sants to Pandharpur by special helicopters so that the age old tradition of hundreds of years is continued.
However, the priests at Nivruttinath temple at Trimbakeshwar have opposed to the idea of helicopter stating that there is no helipad in Trimbakeshwar neither in Pandharpur and that road journey will have to be undertaken till the closest point. Also importantly a helicopter travel will allow only two persons to travel with the padukas where as a Shivshahi bus can carry 20 persons and will enable trustees of the temple along with the priests to attend. The priest Jayant Gosavi has stated that he will approach the district collector with his plea for bus travel
