Goemakrponn desk
CANACONA: Vithal Rukmai Mauli Varkari Mandal (VRMVM), Canacona began its 18-day Walking -Pilgrimage to Pandharpur from Canacona on Saturday.
Over 350 people participated and greeted the Varkaris in the brief inaugural ceremony as the pilgrimage began their journey from Bhumipurush temple at Palolem on Saturday morning, and continued the foot pilgrimage making a brief halt for Breakfast at Karmalghat Ganpati Gumti, and thereafter took lunch later In the afternoon time at Padi.
The Varkaris number over 83, 30 more than last year’s group of 53 are going to take a night halt with dinner arrangements at Ballikarin Devasthan at Balli.
The Varkaris will resume their walking pilgrimage early Sunday morning and will be joined by some Varkaris from Quepem and Ponda will daily walk around 30-35 Kms with lunch and Night Halts on the way and will cover a distance of 420 Kms to reach Pandharpur on 15th July at about Noon time.
The 83 Varkari which also includes women folks between the ages of 60-80 years will take Darshan of Vithal God and stay put at Pandharpur) for the 16th of July and on the 17th will participate in the Edadashi celebrations and on the 18th return back to Goa.
Suraj Naikgaonkar, who is one of the organising activists and participants informed that Pandharpur gets several Varis from several parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, but the Vari from VRMVM- Canacona covers the longest distance of 420 km.
Stating they are getting good response and the number of Varkaris joining Vari is increasing by every passing year since the Vari started 3 years ago, VRMVM Convenor Pagi informed their aim is to achieve participation of at least one Varkari from a household and soon in the coming years we will have more than 200 Varis walking this foot-pilgrimage to Pandharpur.
