Varkari

A Varkari, carrying an ektar with a saffron flag attached and cymbals tied to strings in his hands, journeying from Alandi to Pandharpur

Varkari (Marathi: वारकरी - meaning "a pilgrim") is a Vaishnava religious movement (sampraday) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. Varkaris worship Vithoba (also known as Vitthal), the presiding deity of Pandharpur, regarded as a form of Krishna, an Avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. Teachers associated with the movement include Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram, Chokhamela and Eknath, all of whom are accorded the title of Sant.

The Varkari movement includes the worship of Krishna in the form of Vithoba and a duty-based approach towards life emphasising, moral behavior and strict avoidance of alcohol and tobacco, strict vegetarian diet and fasting on Ekadashi day (twice a month), self-restraint (brahmacharya) during student life, equality and humanity for all rejecting discrimination based on caste or wealth, the reading of holy books by all castes, the reading of the Haripath every day and regular bhajan and kirtan.

Influence

The Varkari tradition affected the life of the common people of Maharashtra for six hundred years (from 13th century to 18th century). Varkaris looked upon God as the Ultimate Truth and ascertained grades of values in social life but accepted ultimate equality among men. Varkaris prostrated in front of each other because "everybody is Brahma" and stressed individual sacrifice, forgiveness, simplicity, overcoming passions, peaceful co-existence, compassion, non-violence, love and humility in social life.

The Varkari poets put God-realisation (haripath) in simple terms in small booklets of verse. Each saint, in his own rustic but sweet style, has extolled japa, chanting the Lord's name. Sant Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram and other Marathi Bhakti saints of the Varkari sect tried to mould the attitude of the common people, which included low castes and women, to have a kind of detachment and the courage of one's convictions in the face of evil forces.

Pilgrimage to Pandhapur

Every year Varkari walk hundreds of miles to the holy town of Pandharpur, gathering there on ekadashi (the 11th day) of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Aashaadha (which falls sometime in July). Varkaris making the pilgrimage to Pandharpur carry the palkhis (palanquins) of the sants from their places of samadhi (enlightenment or "spiritual birth"). According to historians Vitthal devotees were holding pilgrimages prior to the 13th century. Today about 40 palkhis, with their devotees, come from all over Maharashtra to Pandharpur. The current tradition of carrying the paduka (sandals) of the sants in a palkhi was started by the youngest son of Sant Tukaram, Narayan Maharaj, in 1685. Further changes were brought in by Haibatraobuwa and descendants of Sant Tukaram in the 1820s. Another pilgrimage is celebrated on the ekadashi of the month of Kartik which falls sometime in November.

Notable Varkaris

Dnyaneshwar's palkhi (palanquin), holding the footwear of the saint, is carried with honour in a silver bullock cart from Alandi to Pandharpur.

• Dnyaneshwar
• Muktabai
• Namdev
• Sena Nhavi
• Chokhamela
• Tukaram
• Eknath
• Narahari Sonar
• Sawata Mali
• Kanhopatra
• Bahinabai

Literature

• Dnyaneshwari - by Saint Dnyaneshwar¹ READ
• Tukaram Gatha - by Saint Tukaram
• Sopandevi - by Saint Sopandeo
• Namdev-Gatha by Saint Namdev
• Eknathi-Bhagwat - by Saint Eknath - This book has 18,798 ovis (verses) in 31 adhyaya (sections)²
• Amrutanubhav - by Saint Dnyaneshwar³
• Haripath - 27 verses highlighting importance of Naam to live peaceful life. by, Sant Dnyaneshwar

External links

• ज्ञानेश्वरी भावार्थदीपिका (Marathi)

• सार्थ श्रीएकनाथी भागवत (Marathi)

• Amrutanubhav

• Abhang of Sant Tukaram Maharaj (तुकाराम महाराजांचे अभंग)

• Bandiwadekar, Chandrakant B. "Jnaneshvara In The Indian Context".