Alandi : Nov 18, 2025

 

Yesterday was the anniversary of the sanjeevan samadhi of Dnyaaneshwar Mauli. Today was the fifth anniversary since my dear father left this mortal world. I decided to visit Alandi today to pay respect to both, Mauli and Baba.

The roads approaching Alandi were still partially blocked after the recently concluded samadhi utsav. I could only imagine that yesterday the crowds must have been largely unmanageable. Today they were not to that extent but still more than what I had anticipated. The weather was thankfully mild. Right after getting out of our uber ride saw a lady selling necklaces made out of tulsi beads. She told me she comes every year during the month of Kartik all the way from Pandharpur. She has a shop in Pandharpur near Namdev payari. Abhay wanted a new Tulsi mala to replace one he has been wearing since our last visit couple of years back. We got 3-4 different ones from the sweet lady. Then carried on.

The main road led to the steps of the ghat of the famed Indrayani river. The crowds were considerable and waters appeared less hygienic as a result. Took a token dip with two fingers and applied the water to both eyes before heading towards the mandir. I must add here that despite the appearance of the river water, overall, the streets and surroundings were amazingly clean despite the recent huge celebration and crowds. 

The stalls along the narrow gullies leading up to the samadhi mandir were still decorated and stocked up and vendors were eagerly waiting for customers. Brass and other idols of Panduranga and other deities, Pooja articles, warkari musical instruments like taal, veena, mridung and harmoniums, flowers, sweets and other offerings were predominantly seen in these shops. An occasional book shop was placed between these shops and that’s where my feet would drag me. Are there any new books on sant sahitya, I would enquire. I did find a couple of interesting books to bring home and a few others that I have been on the lookout for were still out of stock. 

Leaving our footwear at one of these book shops we proceeded inside the samadhi mandir. There were no hopes of making it into the shrine in less than a couple of hours. The lines were just too long. Instead we chose to simply do a pradakshina ( circumambulation) around the shrine within the temple premises and then sit in one place to take in the vibe. The stone verandah all around the wall of the premises was cool and pleasant to take a seat on. We found a convenient place across from an ancient peepal tree within the complex. Literally thousands of devotees of all ages and from all strata of society, but predominantly rural folks, were constantly moving past us , stopping briefly to bow to the tree, before continuing their pradakshina. Weathered men and women in traditional attires were a delight to watch. Sheer faith had brought them here. I fantasized putting myself in their shoes, setting aside all acquired knowledge and scholarship and it was a moment of enlightenment. Innately it was only Panduranga in each of them and in me, in various forms, moving around. Police officers and uniformed security personnel, young couples with their young kids, older men and women, a dwarfed hunchback woman, another elderly woman brought in a wheelchair, men dressed up in attires of warkaris, sadhus and Vasudevas, priests and temple officials….seemingly different yet one and the same entity!! .it was a unique experience. I just sat there until my heart was content and ready to move. 

A couple of thoughts crossed my mind as I was experiencing the drama. 

One about a term Mauli used in the abhanga I discussed yesterday.

Karnataku. 

कानडा हो विठ्ठलु कर्नाटकू। 

The supposed meaning of this term is believed not so much a reference to the origins of the idol traced to Hubli in Karnataka but rather breaking the term into two separate words : kar nataku implying one who enacts drama by taking various forms. And that is exactly what I was witnessing sitting quietly observing the busy crowd. 

The second thought that arose at the time was that in the world of spirituality, being “ordinary“ was being Vitthala like everyone else. Being “special” was not desirable at all. It was a demotion. 

Anyways. We stopped at the window selling prasad laddoos before leaving the place. One motichur laddoo and one peanut laddoo shared between two were refreshing and enough to tide us till we got back to Pune. Back in our uber ride, the driver was yet another form of Vitthala. And then a stop at Abhay’s favorite restaurant in Pune- Vaishali- across from Ferguson College. The student crowd outside the restaurant and the patrons and employees inside the restaurant were yet another show of Vitthala. 

The sun was getting low on the west once we were home. A black raven flew over and perched on the branch of a coconut tree outside the bedroom balcony. Was it Baba saying hello to me? I said hello and it cawed back. Within moments another raven came and sat on a nearby branch. Was this my brother? They both stared at me momentarily before flying away. We had acknowledged to each other that we are well and our love is strong. Another of Vitthala’s acts.

There couldn’t have been a better day.