Both the palkhis arrived in the city to a grand welcome in the afternoon — at an interval of an hour and half — which left the the heart of Pune swarming with devotees. The palkhis will halt in Pune before continuing with the pilgrimage which will culminate on Ashadhi Ekadashi, which falls on July 14 this year.

Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale welcomed the Sant Dnayneshwar palkhi at Kalasgaon on Alandi Road on behalf of the city. While the palkhi of Sant Tukaram reached the Kamal Nayan Bajaj chowk on Mumbai-Pune highway at 3.50 pm, the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi reached the spot at 5.30 pm. There were about 230 dindis accompanying the Sant Tukaram palkhi while about 280 dindis were with the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi.Deputy mayor Chandrakant Mokate and Standing Committee chairman Shyam Deshpande too were present to welcome the warkaris. When both the palkhis reached the spot, it started drizzling. The Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj palkhi will halt at Palkhi Vithoba temple, Nana Peth, while the Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi will take a breather at the Nivdungya Vithoba temple.

A group of 25 cobblers from the Maharashtra Charmakar Sangh too were there to help the warkaris. “We have been serving the warkaris for the last eight years. Today we were at the spot since 10 am and we mended the footwear of about 5,000 warkaris on a single day,” said one of the members. Even the old and the infirm participated in the pilgrimage with enthusiasm. “I have been going for the pilgrimage to Pandhparpur since I was a child. With blessings of Sant Tukaram, I will make it to Pandharpur this year too,” said 72-year-old Chandrakant Kale.