79. I completed the Wari because of my Guru’s blessings

I met Shrimati Usha Paranjpe in Baroda. She was living with her son and daughter-in-law at the time. When I asked her to narrate a pleasant event from her life she narrated her “Pandharpur Wari” experience.

Thousand Full Moon: Usha Paranjpe 

Contributed by: Rohini

Usha Paranjpe (82), was born in Baroda, Her father retired as a station master in Indian Railways. They were six sisters and one brother. All the immediate and extended family is now well settled. She completed her primary education in Baroda while living with her grandmother.

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I was 66 years old then and living in Pune. I had deposited 600 Rs. with the Deshmukh Wari. You were required to take your basic medicines, water bottle, bedding with your name written in bold letter as it would be transported in a truck with the entire group’s belongings. We would walk 10 Kilo Meters every day. We would get breakfast and lunch on the way. We would rest in a field if we got tired. All the arrangements with water and food were excellent. Everything would be very clean no dirt anywhere. Where ever the ‘Palakhi’ paused we all would pause there. We were required to clean our own utensils. No hot water there…we would bathe with cold water. If there was no time to dry the clothes then we were required to take the wet clothes and pack them up and take them to the truck to be carried to the next stop. We had a Muslim woman in the neighboring ‘Dindi’ she was a Vitthal devotee and she would do ‘Kirtan”. There were 200 ‘Dindies’ with 5 Lakh devotees in the entire Wari. All we would see were Warkaris everywhere! all going to Pandharpur. Some women had Tulsi or Urns on their heads. It was an honor to carry one of those. The Bhajans they sang at the evening Ringan were extremely melodious. Majority of the Warkaris were farmers or laborers. We were only 500 people from Brahmin families in the Deshmukh Wari. I was able to complete this Wari at my advanced age because of Kshirasagar Maharaj’s blessings. I could not have completed it without my Guru’s blessings. He was a great saint. I had gone on a pilgrimage with my daughter, that is when I received the blessings from him and so I could walk and complete the Wari. You should see the horse and the way he runs in the Ringan and the way he bows down to the Dyaneshwar Paduka. It is a mesmerizing experience. 

When the Wari reaches Pandharpur every one gets the Dwadashi meal. My husband along with others had come to receive me at Pandharpur. They had brought the car and that is how I returned home.