Why do you participate in Wari?

It feels good, we have affection for him, and therefore we come. So the sequence of
participation starts

What happens exactly?

How to describe exactly! One has to have a liking for it. we get to meet saints etc.

What do you take back from wari?

Happiness, the festivity of happiness.

We come to get happiness in the Wari; to serve. We wish to serve everyone, and so we do as
we get opportunity to serve.

So what do you get after attending a one month long procession?

We get immense pleasure. We feel fresh; the pleasure never retires from our mind. Whole year
the procession stays in our minds. We could see Vithoba frequently.

Can you recite any hymn (abhang) by women saints?

(reciting a hymn by Tukaram) is it wrong? Correct no?

What exactly you get from this one month’s Wari?

We get satisfaction. Immense satisfaction.

We come always for the Wari; every year.

Who else comes?

We are four/five to participate. We come in Hinge uncle’s procession.

Does your husband permit you to join the Wari? Does he have any objection?

Husband passed away in year 2006.

How do you prepare for house hold or farm work while attending Wari?

All the children workable now; so we just do the sowing and come here; It doesn’t matter
whether crops are produced or not. We start the work after returning only.

Why do you come to the Wari?

To enjoy ourselves. To get the joy from God.

Muktabai eknath sawant, Limb.

Where is this Limb village?

Limb village, it’s known for Haibat Baba, Satara.

Since when do you attend Wari?

It’s been 15 to 16 years now.

Why do you come to Wari?

We feel happiness. We feel like visiting the God. We get to meet fellow-women; friends insist to
come along. If we say no the drag us saying let’s go. I tell them my legs are tired, can’t walk so
long. But girls keep insisting. So let’s go.

We finish all our Farm-work and attend Mauli (vithoba)’s festival.

After walking 20-22 days, and attending Wari, what exactly do you get?

One does not come with such hope;To ask something from Pandurang. we Just request a touch
of the feet of saints. We request to have company of saints in Mauli’s festival. We get pleasure
in it.

What else can you tell?

We get happiness, we forget everything about the household; what day it is?, nothing bothers
us.

I have a certain affection for him, pandurang is mine only and I won’t give him away to the
people. None of the family members bother me. My children are cooperative.

Why dop you come to the Wari?

They are my parents. Nobody is my friend but you. Vitthal is my companion. My conscience is
there only. I stayed back at home one year due to my husband’s demise. It’s only for one year I
couldn’t attend Wari. It’s because of the society’s criticism I could not come. But this time I did
not listen to anyone and do not listen even now. The bliss one gets here is not available
anywhere. I did Amarnath pilgrimage; there you pay visit from distance but one can obtain
Mauli’s sight by touching his feet, by leaning one’s head on his feet.

How many people do you cook for?

500 people
Is it only in the morning for 500?

No, morning and evening, we cook for 500 people.

Since 5 years you’ve been coming for Wari?

Yes.

What do you get for your service?

Nothing, it’s a true service; A virtuous service.

According to the religious restrictions, we have this WARKARI tradition. The tradition of
procession is 200-500 old. Woman is not allowed do devotional singing (Kirtan). Women, who
have become devotional singers, do not belong to any of the traditions. The Warkari creed
gives importance to tradition of masters. Women devotional singers have a wrong tradition of
masters. It’s our clear opinion. It’s because of religious restrictions we don’t allow women to be
devotional singers. But a new branch has been produced in the creed that allows them to do so.

But what do you think personally? Is it suitable for women to do devotional singing?

I think, it’s like insulting your own mother. The creed is our mother. Culture is our mother. And
if we are applying the rules unacceptable to the culture, then I don’t agree with it. if a
government makes rules and regulations we must behave accordingly. State made the rule that
one must walk on the left-side of the road. These rules are made by humans for humans.
Similarly this does not fit into our scriptures (Shastras) hence no; otherwise personally I don’t
spite women. The main thing I must say is none of the men spite women. Women spite women.
Many powers around the world have been transferred due to this spite of women for women.
Women are dangerous to the highest truth. A young girl is dangerous to the highest truth. Let
me recite St.Eknath’s evidence to this:

Say no to women’s company

Say no to women’s solitude

Say no to women’s highest truth

It blows manliness…

It does not mean that men are godly. But women may cause the sliding from the path of the
highest truth.

Saraswati Wanje
We come to consume happiness; it’s like home here; it’s like spending 1 month in service of god
after 11 months of labour.

Karuna Kulkarni, Nanded

I feel like seeing Mauli (Lord Vitthal), visiting Lord Krishna, after singing Gaulani (Eulogies), then
we get pleasure with music. as if I saw Lord Krishna, I get happiness. My faith is like that.

For what do you come to the wari? What is your work?

To get relief, good should happen to us, I must die in peace, while walking down the roads of
Pandharpur, or Alandi, one has to die somewhere.

Why do you come to Wari? What do you achieve?

To consume the pleasure from Mauli.

Lilawati Waghmare Usmanabad

While at home one or other memory occurs. Therefore to forget everything I come to Wari,
worship Pandurang, I get shelter, a rest of mind; it feels good.

Please tell few things about you? Why didn’t you feel to get married?

I was 11 when I left parents’ home and came to wari with women-folks. From there I started
liking Vaishnvas (warkaris). Therefore in the beginning I attended Wari’s form outside. Then I
went to Alandi, and tried to read Dnyaneshwari. I used to sit in a temple and read
dnyaneshwari. Could not read though. I’m illiterate. So I prayed to Mauli (lord Vitthal): let me
read Dnyaneshwari, give me knowledge, since then within two years I could read
Dnyaneshwari. Hence I sacrificed, I did not return home. Later on my parents came to know
that I’m in Alandi. They found me in Mauli’s temple. But since I could read Dnyaneshwari they
decided not to force me for marriage and didn’t bother again. They also participate in Wari,
come to Alandi, all the villagers come, they’ve bought a place. They say our daughter
memorized dnyaneshwari without education, reads Geeta, HariPaath, therefore my whole
village comes. Hence renounced everything and will do same. It’ hard to achieve Dnyaneshwaris
essence.

Baby Kadam

I had a will to come. A rod has been planted in my leg. Still I had will to come, I came without
any panic.

Kamal Jadhav
I don’t feel like staying home when Wari is on. I become very eager to participate.

Why do you feel so?

God knows. It’s hard to stay still when Wari comes.

We have come to the Wari, leaving everything behind including cattle; to see Wari.

Why did you feel to leave everything behind?

I felt like leaving. Now everything is done. Nothing is remaining. So I thought let’s go for Wari;
now it’s time to see this festivity, lot of people serve Mauli, so I should do it too, I thought.
(laughing)

The devotional song/hymn (bhajan) is a warrant, whether it’s a woman or man. spirit or super-
spirit, super-spirit and spirit are there for us to identify. Men and women are there to produce
the world. we participate in Mauli’s procession to enjoy the happiness of devotion.