Why millions of pilgrims travel to a small town to visit a standing god

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On the banks of the Chandrabhaga River, the town of Pandharpur serves as the spiritual heart of Maharashtra. Here, the deity Vithoba is said to have stood on a brick for 28 yugas, waiting for his devotee. This site anchors the Varkari tradition, drawing massive annual pilgrimages known as Vari.

Pandharpur is a pilgrimage center of immense social and religious significance, often referred to as the South Kashi of Maharashtra. The town’s identity is defined by the Vithoba temple, where the deity is worshipped as a form of Krishna. According to local tradition, Krishna arrived here to visit his devotee, Bhakta Pundalika, who was occupied with caring for his parents. Pundalika offered Krishna a brick—or vit—to stand upon, and the god has remained there ever since. This legend is central to the Varkari religious movement, which emphasizes devotion and social reform.

The historical origins of the site are more modest than the mythology suggests. Archaeological excavations conducted in 1968 by M. S. Mate and M. K. Dhavalikar found no evidence of settlement before the 1200s, during the Yadava period. While an inscription inside the Vithoba temple dated to 1189 indicates the existence of a small shrine, the first undisputed epigraphic mentions of the town itself appear in the 13th century. A December 1237 inscription refers to the village of Pandarage, while a June 1270 inscription identifies it as the splendid city of Pandurangapura.

The town has faced significant upheaval, including destruction during the Adilshahi era by Afzal Khan. However, it remained a gathering point for saints, including Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, and Namdev, whose collective influence helped shape a new social synthesis that laid the foundation for the Maratha Empire. In the late 18th century, the temple and town were rebuilt under the patronage of the Peshwas of Pune, the Scindia of Gwalior, and the Holkar of Indore. Today, the temple is managed by a committee of Deshastha Brahmins, and it remains the focal point for the twice-yearly Vari pilgrimages, which draw about a million devotees to the banks of the Bhima river.

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