City reverberates with sound of cymbals and drums as it welcomes palkhis

PUNE The annual Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi processions arrived in Pune on Friday amid huge fanfare including the chanting of bhajans by lakhs of Warkaris (devotees). With religious chants and playing of traditional instruments, the annual palkhi (palanquin) processions of Sant Tukaram Maharaj (in pic) and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj reached Pune amid intermittent rains on Friday evening. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/HT)
So much so that the entire city reverberated with the sound of cymbals and drums accompanied by vigorous chants of 'Dnyanoba Mauli Tukaram'.
The Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi arrived from Alandi whereas the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi arrived from Dehu via Pimpri-Chinchwad. Both Palkhis took the old Pune-Mumbai highway, Fergusson College Road and Laxmi Road.
Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and all office-bearers welcomed the Palkhi processions to the city.
The Warkaris had started arriving in the city Friday morning itself but the main Palkhi processions arrived in the evening. As the processions arrived, many roads in the city were closed since the afternoon which created hurdles for locals to visit the Palkhis and take blessings. Heavy vehicles too were banned by the police, causing traffic snarls on almost all roads leading to the city.
Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi will move towards Saswad via Dive Ghat on Sunday. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/HT)
Both Palkhis will stay overnight at the Pasodya Vithoba and Nidungya temples located in the Nana Peth area.
Both Palkhis will leave the city on Sunday after a two-day halt. They will proceed together till Hadapsar Gadital after which the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi will move towards Solapur Road while the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi will move towards Saswad via Dive Ghat.

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