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Pandharpur | |
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 .jpg) .jpg) .jpg) The chief gate ofVitthal's temple, facing the Bhima River, Ujwala Setu,Pandharpur Wari,Chandrabhaga river | |
| Nickname(s): Pandhari, Pandaripuram | |
  Pandharpur Location in Maharashtra, India | |
| Coordinates:17°40′40″N75°19′40″E / 17.67778°N 75.32778°E /17.67778; 75.32778 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Solapur |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 20.2 km2 (7.8 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 9 |
| Elevation | 450 m (1,480 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
• Total | 242,515 |
| • Density | 12,000/km2 (31,000/sq mi) |
| Language | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Vehicle registration | MH-13 |
Pandharpur City (Pronunciation:[pəɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ]) is a popular pilgrimagetown, on the banks ofChandrabhagā River, nearSolapur city inSolapur District,Maharashtra,India. Its administrative area is one of eleventehsils in the District,[1] and it isan electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly (vidhan sabha).[2] TheVithoba temple attracts about a millionHindu pilgrims during the majoryātrā (pilgrimage) inAshadha (June–July).
A small temple of Śri Vitthala-Rukmini is also located, which is as old as the main Vitthala-Rukmini Mandir, in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as Wakhari Va Korti Devalayas and also known as Visava Mandir. The Bhakti Saint,Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is said to have spent 7 days in the city at the Vithobha Temple. It is said that the deity Vithoba has been worshipped by many saints of Maharashtra. SantDnyaneshwar, SantTukārām, SantNāmdev, SantEknāth, Sant Nivruttināth, SantMuktābai, SantChokhāmel̥ā, SantSavatā Māli, SantNarhari Sonār, SantGorā Kumbhār, SantMeerā Bai and SantGajānan Mahāraj are a few of those prominent saints.
The oldest mention of Pandharpur is from 516 CE from theRashtrakuta era copper plate inscription.Yadava Kings in the 11th and 12th centuries gave numerous donations to the temple as evident from the inscriptions.
In the era ofAdilshahi, most of the town was destroyed byAfzal Khan. Saints from all across Maharashtra still gathered here for annual pilgrimage and thus Pandharpur became the heart of the devotional movement which laid to the social-religious reform. This resulted in new social synthesis which later paved the foundation ofMaratha Empire.
In the second half of the 18th century under theMarathas the temple and town was rebuilt under thePeshwas of Pune,Scindia ofGwailor andHolkar of Indore.[3]
Mahadwar is main locality in the city and a market place. Mahadwar leads to main ghāt of Pandharpur that is "Mahadwar ghat". There is temple of Bhakta Pundalik on the ghāt.
It is said thatKrishna came to Pandharpur to meet his disciple BhaktaPundalīka who was busy serving his parents at that time he offered brick calledviṭ in maraṭhi to Krishna and requested him to wait standing on the brick for some time till he attended to his parents. The same Krishna is standing on the brick for the last 28yuga and thus is also knows as Vitthala. So in ārati of vitthal it is mentioned "yuge atṭhāvis (28), viṭhevari ubhā".
There are many other ancient scriptures that elaborate the importance of Vitthala.
Chandogya Upanishad: The fourth chapter of theChandogya Upanishad, has one of the source of the ancient tradition of Shri Vitthala's worship. It contains the story of King Janśhruti who mentions his visit to Pandharpur when he was on the way to search for Raikva. He remarks that " He arrived at the location where the god "Vitthala," who is simply a reincarnation of Vishnu, was located on the bank of the river Bhimā. The name of this pilgrimage is Bindutirth, and the name of the local deity is Bindumādhav. There, the God who gives the blessings of material and spiritual prosperity still lives."
Padma Purana: The meaning of Pānduranga or Viṭthala is explained inVarāha samhitā ofPadma Purana.Devrishi Nārada narrates toĀdiśeṣa about arrival of Pānduranga in Pandharpur, It explains the background and significance of Vitthala's brick-standing at Pandharpur and origin of theBhima River. Additionally, it provides information on Pandharpur's different gods and deities.Neera Narasinḥpur is as holy asPrayāga, Korti or Vishnupad is as holy asGayā, and Pandharpur is as holy asKāśī. Therefore, a trip to Pandharpur could result in the blessings of the pilgrimage to these three locations. This is where Gaya śhraddha and Kāshi yātra rituals can be carried out.
Skanda Purana: Shiva narrates to Pārvati, "This place is spiritually fruitful three times more thanPuṣhkara, six times more thanKedārnāth, ten times more thanVārānasi and many more times thanŚriśaila. Performing Yātra,Vāri, and Dān have great merit at this place.
There are four gates on the outside and inside of this building. Only via these gates may a person enter a city and they must bend their heads to the deity of these revered gates. GoddessSarasvati is to the east, Siddheshvar of Machanoor is to the south, Bhuvaneshvar is to the west, andMahiśhāsūrmardini is to the north at the internal gate. To the east of the exterior gates are Trivikarms of Ter, Koteshvar of Krishnatir Shorpalaya Kśhetra,Mahālakśhmī of Kolhāpur andNarsinḥa of Neera narasinhapur.
Vishnu is regarded to reside here with his nine celestial attributes. Vimalā, Uttkarshani, Dyan, Kriyā, Yoga, Pavi, Satyā, Eshana, and Anugraha are the names of those nine powers.Garuḍh (the eagle) stands in front of the Pānduranga statue, withBrahmā and Sanakadika to its right and the eleven Rudras and Shiva to its left. All of the gods, includingIndra, are applauding Panduranga from behind the idol.
This ancient text goes into detail about the importance and advantages of various temple rituals, including taking refuge in the temple's shadow, performing Pānduranga darshan, praising Panduranga in front of him, dancing in the rangshala, visiting the temple for darshan during dhupārti, cleaning the temple grounds, etc. The text clarifies the significance of the Pandharpur shrines Kundal Tirtha and Padma Tirtha.
Balarāma also arrived and served the deity, along with Dhaumya Rishi andYudhiṣhṭhira and all of his brothers. In Pandharpur,Rukmini served the deity and gave birth toPradyumna. The effects of the river Bhima's entry into Pandhari, Pandhari's protector ShriBhairava, the devotee Muktakeshi's meditation, and her acceptance by God are all detailed in this scripture.[4]
According to the 2011 census of India, Pandharpur had a population of 98,000. Males constituted 52% of the population and females, 48%. 71% of the population was literate; 78% of males and 64% of females.
Marathi is the official and main language of the people.
It is a major holy place in Maharashtra and it is also called South Kashi (Dakshin Kashi) in Maharashtra. It is famous for the Lord Vitthala temple situated on the bank of the Bhima river. Bhima river is also known as Chandrabhaga as it takes shape like a crescent moon near the town and hence gets the name.[5][clarification needed] There are 4 yatra's (vaari- gathering of pilgrims/devotees) per year, Chaitri, Ashadhi, Kartiki and Maghi, of which Ashadhi and Kartiki are the main ones. Devotees come from all over Maharashtra, Karnataka and some part of Tamil Nadu[6]
Pandharpur is 76 km fromSolapur, 136 km fromSangli, 210 km fromPune and 360 km fromMumbai. MSRTC bus station is located in the central part of city and at just 1 km distance from Shri Vitthala-Rukmini Temple. Direct services to almost all parts of Maharashtra are available with the highest frequency to the cities of Solapur,Sangli and Pune. When it comes to other states, daily buses are available to different parts of Karnataka(mostly north Karnataka) and Hyderabad. Apart from this many private bus services operate daily between Pandharpur to Pune and Pandharpur toSangli.
Pandharpur railway station has daily trains to Kurduwadi and Miraj junctions. Kolhapur-Nagpur Express is available twice a week on Monday and Friday. Daily direct train fromSangli railway station to Pandharpur is also available daily night which is Sangli-Miraj-Parli Vaijnath express. Every Friday there is a train to Yeshwantpur (Bangalore), Daily there is a train to Mysore Via: Vijayapura, Gadag, Hubballi and Bengaluru. Dadar-Satara express running on Dadar-Pandharpur-Sangli-Satara also connects Pandharpur to Sangli, Bhilavdi, Kirloskarvadi, Karad, Masur, Satara.
Nearest International and domestic airports arePune Airport (210 km) and Kolhapur airport (180 km).
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