Aurangabad:
Devotees thronged the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini temple in Pandharpur (Waluj) on the occasion of Kartiki (Prabodhini) Ekadashi on Friday. Chants of ‘Vitthal Vitthal Jai Hari Vitthal’ raised by the warkaris and devotees filled the atmosphere with devotional vibes.
A big yatra is held every year on Ashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi at Shri Vitthal-Rukmini temple in Pandharpur. Devotees throng in large numbers on Ekadashi. The temple was attractively decorated on this occasion. Maha Abhishek and aarti were performed by Nilesh Sonawane and his wife Meera Sonawane at 5 am. Temple trust president Rajendra Pawar, secretary Appasaheb Jhalke, Ratnakar Shinde and others were present. The temple was opened for darshan thereafter.
Since morning pilgrims and warkaris from the city including Pandharpur, Valdgaon, Bajajnagar, South City, Ranjangaon, Ghanegaon, Jogeshwari, Gangapur Nehri, Limbejalgaon, Turkabad, Shivarai, Vitawa, Ambelohal and other villages started arriving with Dindis at Pandharpur for darshan. Chants of ‘Jai Hari Vitthal’ along with the sound of Tal-Mridanga ecoed the temple premises throughout the day. In all, 32 Dindis had arrived in the temple by evening. Waluj police station PI Sandeep Gurme and his team had made proper arrangements.