Ashadi - Dindi Yatra/ Seva - Pathway to experience the omnipresence of the lord
Sai Ram Significance of Ashadi Dindi & Seva Dindi. Ashadi Ekadasi is a religious procession and is celebrated during the months of June- July (Aashaadh Shukla paksha). It consists of a beautifully decorated Palkhi having the “padukas” of the lord and the Palkhi procession consists of people collectively walking, singing and dancing the glory of the Lord in what are called as ‘Dindis’. This custom of taking out a holy procession is said to have started in 1810. Tradition has it that two of the greatest devotees of Lord from the Maharashtra state, Sant Jnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram had set out on a pilgrimage to Lord Vittala from their respective places and reached the Divine Abode in fifteen days time on the auspicious day of Ashadi Ekadasi. Following this set tradition by these great souls, even after their merger with the Divine, devotees from the entire length and breadth of the state and even from outside the state set out for Pandharpur, wearing basil beads and singing His glory on a pilgrimage to reach on this auspicious day to have Divine Darshan. This pilgrimage is traditionally called Dindi Yatra. Commemorating this maiden Dindi Yatra undertaken by these great saints even today people from the state traditionally carry Padukas (divine sandals) of these great souls in palanquins on their procession to Pandharpur. Upon reaching Pandharpur on Ashadi, these devotees take a holy dip in the sacred River Chandrabhaga before proceeding for the Darshan of Lord Vittala. Myth has it that Pundalik, an earnest devotee of Vithoba,
placed the service of his parents higher than to that of God. He commanded
the violent Bhima River not to disturb his sleeping parents. Pleased by his
devotion, Lord Vishnu blessed him with a boon, and the river mellowed and
now flows silently as the Chandrabhaga in Pandharpur. On appearing at
Pundalik's doorstep, Vithoba found Pundalik with his parents sleeping with
their heads on his lap. So as his parents do not get disturbed, Pundalik
slipped a brick forward. Till date one finds Vithoba standing on that brick,
waiting to be entertained by his 'host', at Pandharpur. Participation in Ashadi Dindi and Seva Dindi helps an individual in many ways by bringing good health, peace & prosperity in his life. Chanting the continuous glory of the God in the Ashadi Dindi procession and Seva Dindi purifies an individual, there is an inner cleansing that takes place in Mind, Body and Spirit and the participants tend to lose their individual identities and experience bliss. It develops all aspects of human personality and helps us understand the true purpose of Life. So it is time for all of us to once again come together
for the Dindi Yatra / Seva. I would urge all to participate in this
programme in large numbers. You will agree that Swami will be waiting to
receive the Dindi Warkaris at Prashanti Nilayam, as usual, at the end of the
Dindi journey. |