Pandharpur Wari is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) to Pandharpur - the temple of the Hindu god Vithoba in the Indian state of Maharashtra, in honour of the deity. Palakhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka (foot prints) of various saints - most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram - from the Varkari (Warkari, "one who performs the Wari") sect (which venerates Vithoba), are taken from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old. Dnyaneshwar's palakhi leaves from Alandi, while Tukaram's begins at Dehu; both in Pune district of Maharashtra. This March on foot from various locations in Maharashtra to Vithoba temple, Pandharpur, attracts a total of over a million pilgrims. The journey takes 21 days to cover the distance about 250 KM. Numerous palakhis join the main Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar palkhis that starts from Dehu and Alandi respectively.
This is third year AIR Pune is deputing two teams to cover this wari. Every day AIR Pune broadcast 30 minutes radio report from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Pune ‘A’ channel (MW - 792 Khz) and all AIR stations in Maharashtra relay this report. On 18th June both Palkhsi arrived in Pune. A function was organised in Bank of Maharashtra,s campus (Bank of Maharashtra and Finolex Pipes are co-sponsors of this event) Shri. Ravindra Khasnis (Asst. Director and Head of Prog section) delivered welcome address at the beginning. Then more than two hundred Radio seta were gifted to warkaris. Since last week AIR Pune was appealing to its listeners to donate radio sets to warkaris. Many listeners and social organisations came forward and donated radio sets. While addressing the gathering Shri. Ashish Bhatnagar (DDG and Head of Office AIR Pune) explained the motive behind this idea is to attract listeners towards radio. He told that during wari, warkaris will listen radio report everyday and can listen their own interviews on radio. He also thanked Bank of Maharashtra, Finolex Pipes and donors for their support. Shri. Marathe appreciated Shri. Bhatnagar and his team for this venture, during his speech.
This year four ladies staff members are participating in this mission. Two office vehicles are decorated like rath (chariot). When flag was shown by Shri. Ravindra Marathe (MD. Bank of Maharashtra), both vehicles left for Pandharpur. One team will move with Tukaram Maharaj’s Palkhi and the other team with Sant Dnyaneshwar's palakhi.
AIR Pune also broadcast running commentary of arrival of Palkhis in Pune. This was broadcast on Pune ‘A’ channel from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Bank of Maharashtra and Finolex Pipes sponsored this broadcast.