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| Featuring one of the images from the set of 15 postcards being issued to commemorate Pandharichi Wari |
The annual ‘Pandharichi Wari’ pilgrimage which has the Vitthal temple of Pandharpur at its focus, represents a revered tradition of Maharshtra that is more than 800 years old. The Wari is a 200 km procession on foot in which the warkaris (devotees) carry the palkhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka (foot prints) of famous saints of Maharashtra, most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram.
This year, trailing the thousands of Warkaris walking towards Pandharpur for the entire period of 18 days (28th June to 16th July, 2016) of the Wari is a Mobile Post Office, adding a unique postal endorsement to the event, and capturing the occasion for posterity through a series of philatelic commemorations. Housed in a Mail Motor Service van of the Department of Posts, the Mobile Post Office also provides the Warkaris access to postal services including Speed Post during the entire journey from Alandi Devachi to Pandharpur. Further the Warkaris can use the Mobile Post Office even for sending and receiving Money Orders.
The Pune Postal Region which has taken up this initiative has also brought out a set of 15 picture postcards, which is expected to become a prized possession of stamp collectors in the years to come. For the pilgrims and other devotees, the postcards represent an ideal means for treasuring the memories of the procession.
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| Ganesh V. Sawaleshwarkar, Postmaster General flagging off the Mobile Post Office |
The 15 postcards feature Wari photographs clicked by Sandesh Bhandare, who has also directed a Marathi film 'Mhadu'. "It is an honour for me that the postal department chose my photos for this initiative. It will help in spreading awareness about the Wari as well as be of great help to those participating in it," said Bhandare to news reporters.
The Mobile Post Office will halt al all the scheduled halts of the Pandharichi Wari. The Postal Department has priced the set of 15 postcards at a reasonable Rs. 110, as the objective is not to make profits, but to promote the message of peace, devotion and spirituality that the Wari represents. Another set of 5 postcards depicting images of postage stamps issued on ‘Sant Namdeo’, ‘Sant Eknath’, ‘Dnyaneshwari’, ‘Sant Tukaram’ and ‘Sant Dnyaneshwar’ will also be made available at Rs. 50 per set of 5 postcards. Postcards can be mailed through Mobile Post Office to any part of the world by affixing postage stamp of appropriate denomination. Special commemorative cancellation for each day of eighteen-day pilgrimage depicting the 'Sprit of Wari' will also be made available at the Mobile Post Office.
The Postal Department has made special arrangements for stamp collectors and others interested in procuring these postcards, but are not able to participate in the procession, or visit the Mobile Post Office. They can purchase the postcards from Philatelic Bureau, Pune GPO. They can also send payment by Money Order to Postmaster, Alandi Post Office 412105; the set of postcards would be sent by post to the address.
