Pandharpur
Pandharpur Location of Pandharpur in Maharashtra and India
Coordinates	17°40′N 75°20′E / 17.67°N 75.33°E / 17.67; 75.33
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District(s)	Solapur
Population	91,381 (2001[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 458 m (1,503 ft)

Pandharpur is an important pilgrimage city on the Bhimā river in Solāpur district, Maharashtra, India. The Vithoba temple attracts about half a million Hindu pilgrims during the major yātrā (pilgrimage) in the month of Ashadh (June-July).

[edit] Geography

Map of Vithoba Temple of Pandharpur and surroundings

Pandharpur is located at 17°40′N 75°20′E / 17.67°N 75.33°E / 17.67; 75.33^[1]. It has an average elevation of 458 metres (1502 feet).

[edit] Demographics

According to the 2001 census of India, Pandharpur had a population of 91,381. Males constituted 52% of the population and females, 48%. 71% of the population was literate, (higher than the national average of 59.5%), 78% of males and 64% of females being literate. 12% of the population was under 6 years of age.

[edit] Religious Importance

The chief gate of Vithoba's temple

View of temples on the bank of river Bhima, Pandharpur, one of which is dedicated to Pundalik

Pandharpur is one of the most prominent pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra. It is located on the banks of the Bhimā river, which is alternatively known as Chandrabhāgā because of its half-moon-like shape. It is named after a merchant, Pandarika who achieved self-realization there^[2].

Pandharpur, alternately known as Pandhari, hosts the renowned Vitthal temple on the banks of Bhimā. "Vithoba", "Pāndurang", and "Pandharināth" are the popular alternate names of the deity, Viththal, who is regarded in Hinduism as a God form of Lord Krishna, who, in turn, is considered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Rakhumāi or Rukmini is Viththal's consort in Hinduism.

The worship of Vitthal in the Pandharpur temple is based mainly on the contents of the Puranas, and the contributions of the Vaishnav saints of Maharashtra and Karnataka during the 13th through the 17th centuries, namely, Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, Tukaram, Purandara Dasa, Vijaya Dasa, Gopala Dasa, and Jagannatha Dasa, have augmented the worship.

The Pandharpur temple covers a large area, and has six gates. The eastern gate is known as the "Namdev Gate".

Pandharpur hosts four annual pilgrimages ("yātrās") of Hindu devotees. Among them, the pilgrimage in the month of Āshādh (June-July) in the Hindu calendar attracts the largest number of pilgrims --around 0.5 to 0.7 million people. The pilgrimage in the month of Kārtik (October-November) attracts the next largest number of pilgrims.

This has been a great place to visit for devotees all over India. There are some other important holy places around Pandharpur as Goddess Tulja Bhavani (Goddess of family - KulDevata of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) at Tuljapur, Saint Shri Swami Samarth (God Form of Dattatreya) at Shri Kshetra Akkalkot, Lord Dattatreya at Ganagapur etc. All are located in / near to Solapur District. Devotees from all over Maharashtra and surrounding states visit all these places at least once per year.

[edit] Educational Institutes

Many educational institutes are situated in Pandharpur, including Karmveer Bhaurao Patil (KBP) college and College of Engineering, Pandharpur (CEP).Uma Mahavidhyalaya Karad Road.

[edit] Transportation

Pandharpur is connected to Kurduwadi railway junction by a 52km broad gauge track that was converted from narrow gauge in 2001 under project Unigauge. A train runs from Pandharpur to Mumbai through Pune. On the other side, the track remains narrow gauge to Miraj. This track has been closed for gauge conversion which is planned for completion in 2010. Pandharpur is connected to every district and major talukas in Maharashtra including Pune, Mumbai and Solapur by bus and trains.

Solapur railway station, 72km away, is linked with almost all the metros by railway. Other religious places like Tuljapur, Akkalkot, Ganagapur can also be visited with Solapur as the base station.

[edit] Bibliography

• G.A.Deleury, The cult of Vithoba (Pune: Deccan College, 1960)
• M.S.Mate, Temples and legends of Maharashtra (Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1988), pp188-220
• D.B.Mokashi, Palkhi: a pilgrimage to Pandharpur (translated from the Marathi)(Albany, NY: State University of New York Press; Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 1990)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• PANDHARPUR by Gazetteer's Dept