Pandharpur Wari

Pandharpur Vari, or Vari is a yatra to Pandharpur, Maharashtra, to honor Vithoba. It involves carrying the paduka of a saint in a palkhi, most notably of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. Many pilgrims join this procession on foot. Varkari is a Marathi term which means "one who performs the Vari". The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old.

Marches happen on foot from various locations in Maharashtra to Vithoba Temple. This yatra takes 21 days. Along the way, many other palkis join the two most revered palkhis. Starting from their towns located in the Pune district of Maharashtra: Sant Dnyaneshwar's palkhi leaves from Alandi, while Tukaram's begins at Dehu. The Vari culminates at the Vithoba Temple on the holy occasion of Shayani Ekadashi (Ashadi Ekadashi). Devotees from across Maharashtra and nearby areas leave for Pandharpur, wearing holy basil beads and singing the glories of Vithoba and songs like "Dñyanbā Tukārām", commemorating the saints. When they reach Pandharpur on Shayani Ekadashi, the devotees bathe in the sacred Bhima River before visiting the temple.