A trip to Pandarpur

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Being a group member of Sriranga Sri & a citizen from Solapur I Just thought to write an abbreviation to the e mail that one of our friend has sent us regarding her trip to Pandaripuram.

I would jut like to put forth the story of Pandharipuram the place named after Lord Panduranga Vitthalla.

Once it so happened that Vitthalla was immensely pleased at the sincere un-conditional Bhakti of his devotee named Pundalika who resided in Pandharpur.

Sree Hari Vitthalla decided to go one earth from Vaikumtham and visit Bhakta Pundalika. When Vitthalla came to Bhakta Pundalika’s house he called Pundalika out from his home so that he would meet him. Pundalika at that time was offering service to his old parents and they were resting on Pundalikas lap.

Pundalika answered vitthalla that he would have to wait as he din’t want to disturb his parents sleep. Since Pundalika could not even offer any seat to Sree Hari Vitthalla he just threw a brick out at Vitthalla and asked him to stand on the brick while he would come.

Vitthala was overjoyed by the service of Pudalika to his parents he smilingly stood on the brick log and decided to stand on the same BRICK LOG so that he could give darshana to all his bhaktas & thus happened to be pandurangas Pamdhripuram the name of the place.

Even today before the Name of Vitthalla is chanted, Pundalikas name is chanted First as PUNDALIK HARI VITTHALA.

Unlike other Vaishnava temples where Acharam or Madi is been immensely followed at Pamdharipuram it all happens to stay at bay may be Vitthalla would come to his bhaktas so close that any person he or she can touch their forehead deep at the lotus feets of Hari Vitthalla. How sweet of Vitthalla ! What closeness…what a solace to our heart…where could we get this joy! What an ocean of joy to touch his heavenly feets and seek Moksham.

As our friend has also very well observed about the music in Pandharipuram its very true that this genre of music is quite very different it would make any one wonder that unlike any basic music training that one undergoes for carnatic music this music in Pandharipuram is made out small Marathi hyms into melodious songs…these are called Abhangas.

One Abghanga goes like Vitthala chya Payi Veetha (brick) zhale bhgyavant, (i.e by the grace of sree hari Vitthalla’s feet… the bricks have become immortally lucky). Many such abghangas have been composed by Saint Tukaramm, Dynadeva, Janabai etc. They are all generally sung in Adi Taalam but something very enchanting about these Abhangas is that though not being a complex tone it sounds as fresh like carnatic music.

If any one would like to come to Pandaripuram they can very well stay at my own Hotel -Sri Kamal International at solapur. www.hotelsrikamalsolapur.com is a pure vegeterian place and it arranges a very good stay for Bhaktas visiting Solapur and also all arrangements for Darshanam to Pandharpur are been made by the hotel on request.

So you can visit Pandaripuram at least once in a life time and seek the heavenly grace of Lord Vitthalla…

With Kindest regards-

Rahul Atul

Director of Hotel Sri Kamal International.

Solapur

413 001.

Cell +919372316346.

 

 

 

wrote: Pandaripuram is a very enchanting place. If one wants to experience the

Bhajan culture, one must visit Pandaripuram. The temple is open till

midnight and Panduranga stands magnificently on a stone (Vital). The entire

sanctum reverberates with the name of Vitala. Karthik Ekadasi and the one

that falls during the month of Aadi is very important event in that temple.

The temple is an old house and is built on the banks of Bhima.

 

I got a "call" to visit the shrine. I was amazed by the culture that the

localities follow. Every soul that enters the shrine chants the name of lord

in his choicest way. It is a different kind of a genre from the traditional

hymns sung in South India. Irrespective of caste and creed one is allowed to

touch the lords feet. The lords consort Rukmani is in a separate sanctum.

The beauty of this place is the attire that is worn to the lord is princely

and at the same time very laddish.

 

How to reach Pandharpur

 

>From Chennai one could travel to Sholapur and from there take a bus / cab to

Pandarphur. The shrine is 40 Kms from Pandarphur

>From Chennai one could travel to Hyderabad and from there they can go to

Pandarphur. It takes 4 hours from Hyderabad to reach Pandarphur.

 

Things to watch out for

 

Paandas!

 

Apart from Vitalas shrine, there is an amazing museum in Pandharpur and it

is a must to see that place.

 

The above are the only two routes which I am aware of. If there any other

route please let me know as well.