CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF VARKARI CULT: CASE OF ALANDI

Hareesh Haridasan | AC 0310

Masters in Architecture and Settlement Conservation

CEPT University Ahmedabad

INTRODUCTION

Alandi is an important temple town in the state of Maharashtra. This place is near
Pune. This town is known for the Samadhi of the famous saint of the Bhakti movement Sant
Dnyaneshwar. It is situated on the banks of river Indrayani. The significant feature of bhakti
movement was that its frontline leaders were poets, and in this sense poetical activism
combined with political in an unprecedented yet organic way. The aim of this study is to
understand the cultural landscape of this region, its influences on the town and
conservation guidelines for Alandi.
The term cultural landscape as defined by UNESCO
"Cultural landscape embraces a diversity of manifestations of the interaction
between humankind and its natural environment. Cultural landscapes often reflect
specific techniques of sustainable land-use, considering the characteristics and
limits of the natural environment they are established in, and a specific spiritual
relation to nature.
Protection of cultural landscapes can contribute to modern techniques of
sustainable land-use and can maintain or enhance natural values in the landscape.
The continued existence of traditional forms of land-use supports biological diversity
in many regions of the world. The protection of traditional cultural landscapes is
therefore helpful in maintaining biological diversity.”
There are three major categories of Cultural landscape :-
1. Landscape designed and created intentionally by man (landscape for aesthetic
reason)
2. Organically evolved landscape (relict or fossil landscape and continuing
landscape)
3. Associative cultural landscape (linked to cultural traditions)
(SOURCE:- http://whc.unesco.org/en/culturallandscape/ )

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GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Alandi is a town in the Pune district of Maharashtra. It is located in the Khed taluka. The
nearest city is Pune, which is about 25 km from this town. This town is located on the banks
of river Indrayani. This river starts from Lonavala (in the Western Ghats) and joins the river
Bhima. This river also flows through the town of Dehu which is also has religious
importance. After the confluence with Bhima river, it is connected with the temple town of
Pandharpur. The towns of Alandi, Dehu and Pandharpur are places of importance for the
warkari cult. The Indrayani river forms the main source of water to Alandi. As this river flows
through a place of religious importance various rituals associated with this place is
performed on the river. It thus is polluted.
(Ref:-Satellite image 1 ; Google Image of Alandi )

HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE

The Bhakti movement origin can be traced in South India in present day Tamil Nadu. One of
the foremost contributors to this movement in Maharashtra was Dnyaneshwar and his
siblings Nivrittinath, Sopan, Muktabai and Sant Namdev. They were the initial propagators
th
of this sect. These saints existed during the 13 century A.D. The Islamic invasion has
started in India during this period. The focus of this movement was on Bhakti and equality
among its followers. This movement brought back the importance of Hinduism.

th th
Maharashtra during the 12 – 13 century were ruled by the kings of Devagiri. Jaitrapala
was one of the famous ruler of the Yadava dynasty that ruled this region from 1191 to 1210
A.D. Ramadevarao was the ruler of Devagiri during the times of Dnyaneshwar and
probably the last ruler. There is mention of the ruler Ramadevarao in the famous work of
Dnyaneshwar i.e Dnyaneshwari. King Ramadevarao also seems to be a devotee of the Lord
Vithal of Pandharpur. It is evident through his donation to the temple. With this fact, it can
be concluded that the Vithal was worshipped with a royal patronage. Dnyaneshwar and his
followers made this belief available to the masses. During Dnyaneshwar`s lifetime there
was no Islamic invasion in this part of Maharashtra. The Dnyaneshwari was composed in
the year 1290 A.D. The first instance of Muslim invasion was in the year 1294 A.D. Although
it wasn`t a successful invasion as the Yadava king gave the invader Allaudin Khilji a large
amount of ransom and saved his kingdom. This event happened a year before
Dnyaneshwar entered into Samadhi.

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Dnyaneshwar: The life span of this great Bhakti movement saint was very short. However,
in this short span of life he initiated the varkari cult and vari alongwith some magnificent
literary works. Dnyaneshwar composed works namely Dnyaneshwari,
Amritanubhav,Abhangs and Changadev Prasasthi. Sant Dnyaneshwar was born into an
illustrious Brahmin – Kulkarni household. The ancestors of Dnyaneshwar were the Kulkarni
of Apegaon, near Paithan. Dnyaneshwar`s father was Vithalpant, who inherited the family
title of Kulkarni of Apegaon. He was married to Sidhopant`s daughter, (Kulkarni of Alandi).
Vithalpant gave up the worldly life became a sanyasi and left for Benaras. However, he
returned after a short while and became a householder (Grihasta). This was against the
social norms of that time. This move was severely criticized by the orthodox Brahmins. In
the following year, Dnyaneshwar and his siblings were born in this household. The eldest of
the sibling was Nivrittinath; Dnyaneshwar was the second child, Sopan the third one and
Muktabai the youngest one. Their years of birth are as follows 1273 A.D, 1275 A.D, 1277
A.D and 1279 A.D respectively. The action of their father had to be faced even by their
children. The children were not accepted into the Brahmin household. They were
considered as outcaste. To prove their credentials Dnyaneshwar along with his siblings
started for Paithan, which was considered as a pious center of that time. It is here people
came to know about the mystical powers possessed by these children. These events are
dated somewhere around 1287. After these series of event, Dnyaneshwar started the
famous work Dnyaneshwari that is considered as holy book among the followers of this
sect. Dnyaneshwari is a commentary on the Bhagwad Gita. Dnyaneshwari was written in
the town of Nevasa, which is near Paithan. The Dnyaneshwari was composed in the local
landuage i.e Marathi. This is considered as one of the best works in Marathi literature. It
was composed in Marathi so that the common people as most of the Hindu texts can easily
understand the work and scriptures were in Sanskrit. Sanskrit was considered as the
language not easily accessible to common person. Amritanubhav, Abhangs and
Changadev Prasasthi followed Dnyaneshwari. All these works have great spiritual
messages to the followers to this sect. It propagated the Bhakti movement and laid the
foundation of varkari sect, which is quite popularly even today. The first instance of
pilgrimage is recorded in the year 1293 A.D. Dnyaneshwar and his siblings along with
Namdev and his followers performed this particular feat. The subsequent varkari saints
continued this tradition. Dnyaeshwar attained Samadhi in the year 1295 A.D (some
researchers claim it to be in 1296 A.D) at Alandi. Alandi is his mother’s village. He took the

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Samadhi in front of the Siddheswar mandir in the village. The mandir still exists within the
present day Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Samadhi mandir.

Dnyaneshwar and the subsequent followers of this sect continued with the teachings of the
Bhakti movement. This movement spread widely in the Deccan plateau region of
Maharashtra. The followers included people from all caste and creed. There was no
segregation among the people. All were considered equal among the people. During the
13 th and 14 th century this region came under the rule of Islamic invaders. Therefore, this
movement also gained momentum to preserve the Hindu belief and tradition. It also gained
patronage of the Maratha rule. Sant Ramdas was considered the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj. Sant Dnyaneshwar is still revered as the foremost saint of this movement. Out of
this respect the subsequent sant`s of this sect still considered the place of Samadhi i.e
Alandi as an important place for this sect. Sant Tukaram of Dehu earlier in his time used to
visit Alandi enroute to Pandharpur for vari. The vari route from Alandi is one of the oldest
routes. In this entire movement is about the teachings of these sant`s. Literature also plays
an important role in this sect. The literature of this sect is kept alive through oral traditions.
During vari the pilgrims keeps on reciting the Abhangs composed by the famous sant`s.
Through this process, there is transfer of the literature in oral form. The vari during ashadh
ekadasi is still followed with same spirit. The main idea behind this cult/sect is monotheism.
Sant Dnyaneshwar is considered as the greatest among the sant`s in this sect. All
subsequent sant`s still consider him as their guru.

(Ref:- Mysticism In Maharashtra : Indian Mysticism – R.D Ranade; The Cult Of Vithoba – G.A Deleury)

MANIFESTAIONS OF THE VARKARI CULT

The manifestations of the varkari cult, which are existing in the town of Alandi, are as
follows:-

1. Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Samadhi mandir: This is the most important place in Alandi. It
is situated on the banks of River Indrayani. This temple has the Samadhi of Sant
Dnyaneshwar. The Samadhi is worshiped by the varkaris. Within the temple complex
there is a small temple of Sidheshwar. This temple is supposed to have existed even
before the Samadhi. The temple complex as it exists today has been built mainly
during the Maratha period.

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The entrance gate to the temple and the temple inside

Stalls outide the complex sellings commodities for the rituals.

2. Pundalik mandir: This temple is on the ghats of River Indrayani. This temple is
dedicated to Pundalik one of foremost believers in this sect. The temple is for the
deity Siva.

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 The Pundalik mandir on the banks of River Indrayani

3. The Ram mandir: This temple is near the Samadhi mandir. It was also built during
the Maratha period.

The entrance gate to the Ram mandir and the inner mandap of the temple

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 The façade of Ram mandir from the river

4. Bhairavnath mandir, Bhint and Maruti Mandir: This temple is again dedicated to
Lord Siva. the origin of this temple is unkown. The Bhint has some mythological
reference to Sant Dnyaeshwar. As per the myths, Sant Dnyaneshwar using his
mystical powers made this masonary wall to fly along with his siblings. This place is
equally important as the temple. The Maruti Mandir is located near to above-
mentioned temples. All these temples come along the outer periphery of the
gaothan.

The bhint and Bhairavnath mandir

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 The Maruti mandir

5. Dharamshalas, Mutts and Shikshan Sanstha: These institutions also play an

important role in the continuity in the traditions of the cult. The Dharamshalas
provide accommodations for the varkari and these are as per the community. The
mutts and shikshan sanstha play a role of propagaters of the cult. These institutional
bodies teach the younger generation about the rich traditions. The teach the next
generation about Abhangs and other literary works associated with this cult.

The dharamshalas on the stretch between Chakan chown and Bhairavnath chowk

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The dharamshalas which are community based : Jnanabai Maratha Dharamshala & Mutt and Akhil
Mandai mandal dharmshala.

6. Vari: It means a traditional pilgrimage to Pandharpur. Alandi forms one of the

starting points of the vari. Vari is a means of preserving the oral traditions associated
with this cult. The event coincides with the Hindu month of Ashadh and Karthik.
However, the point of study would not be vari but the scenario during the vari in
Alandi.

7. The Indrayani River: the river forms an important component of the cultural
landscape. There are rituals that are associated with the river that makes it
important.

The ghats on the banks of Indrayani river.

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Significance: What makes Alandi the place of importance is the association with the
foremost sant of this sect. i.e Sant Dnyaneshwar. The Samadhi is what makes it important.
This has been influential in the region. As a result, the subsequent followers have kept alive
the tradition of vari that was started by Dnyaneshwar. It has attained a cultural importance
attracting lakhs of pilgrims who participate in it with equal enthusiasm. The physical
manifestation of this cult in Alandi is equally important as the place is. Most of the
manifestations are in the gaothan of Alandi. The other propagators like the mutts and
shikshan sanstha are there in both gaothan and outside it.

PROPOSAL

Need for Conservation Management Plan

Over the period apart from the main temple complex and other important temples as
discussed above new dharamshalas and mutts were developed for the convenience of the
varkaris coming from far off places during the vari. These dharamshalas and mutts belong
to different caste based groups. They impart education based on the literature and music
related to the warkari sect to the younger generation. This place has a Municipal Council,
which was established in 1867. The increasing floating population is a threat to the
resources of the town. The intangible cultural heritage is transmitted from generation to
generation is constantly recreated by communities in response to their environment, their
interaction with nature and their history and providing them with a sense of identity and their
continuity thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity1. The temples,
Dharamshalas, Mutts and Shikshan Sansta at this place form physical manifestations of this
intangible cultural heritage (Varkari cult). Thus conserving this historic, environmental and
cultural heritage becomes essential. A conservation management plan is essential so that
the resources are managed effectively and a policy to keep a check on the ongoing new
developments that can hamper the manifestations of the varkari sect in this town.
[1 -UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage]

[The stakeholders involved in this area are Warkari Sanstha, Shri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj
Sanstha Committee. Alandi, Pune (this group is active participant during the vari and look
after the temple complex), the Councilors (the town is divided into wards, which is under
the control of ward councilor), the President of Council (look into administration of the town

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with the help of councilors), Executive Officer (appointed by the state Government and
reports to Divisional Commissioner). The Pilgrimage Development Authority is a body,
which looks into the infrastructure development of the pilgrimage places in Maharashtra.]

Objective: The objective of the study is to understand the cultural landscape of Alandi
through the historic evolution of the town and the warkari sect `s manifestation in Alandi

Studying the settlement pattern depending on cultural distribution

- To understand the communities living in Alandi
- Identifying the historic area in the town (temples and other important structures)
- Typologies in temple, dharamshala and mutts.
- Understanding the components of the temple and rituals associated with it.
- To study the transformations in the gaothan of Alandi
- To understand the significances of temples, dharamshalas and mutts
[ For studying the historic area, typologies, communities – the demographic
survey, drawings of the temple, dharamshala /mutts, street plan,
(documentation drawings) and historic maps if any ]

To understand the topography, hydrology, ecology of the region (district) [The

topography will be studied with reference to satellite images, topographic sheets.]

Understanding the value and identifying the issues

Develop Conservation Management Plan

Development Plan of Alandi and Action for Environmental Improvement of Alandi will help in
understanding the current scenario and future proposals for the town

Conservation Management Plan

The cultural significance of a place and its related issues affecting its future are best
understood by a sequence of collecting and analyzing information before making
decisions. Understanding the cultural significance comes first before developing policy
and management of the place. Flowing are the elements of the management plan.

1. Identifying the area

2. Understanding the significance of the area

3. Developing policy and implementing it.

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 4. The stakeholder involved

5. The funding mechanism and allocation of resources

6. Monitoring the system

Places of cultural significance have a sense of identity among the community. The aim of
the management plan is to retain the cultural significance of the place. It should be a
cautious approach based on the association values and identity of the place.

SCOPE OF WORK: The scope of work is studying the gaothan area in detail for
understanding the settlement pattern. The structures that can probably study are
mentioned in the list below. These structures are the physical manifestations of the sect.

The Gaothan of Alandi

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REFRENCES

 Alandi Development Plan , Alandi Municipal Council

 Pune District Gazetter, Bombay Presidencey

 Abhangs of Namdev (Alandi Mahima)

 The Cult of Vithoba , C.A Debury

 Mysticism in Maharashtra , R.D Ranade

 UNESCO : http://whc.unesco.org/en/culturallandscape/

 IFLA (International federation of Landscape Architects ) http://www.iflaonline.org/

 IFLA CLC (Cultural Landscapes Committee) http://www.iflaclc.org/contact.html

 Burra Charter [The Australia ICOMOS charter for Places of Cultural Significance 1999]

Satellite image 1: Showing the topography of the region

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Google image 1: Showing the rivers in the region

Google image 2 : showing Dnyaneshwar Samadhi mandir and the settlement around

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