By Damodarlila Dasa (Padayatra leader)
Padayatra reached Zaregaon on July 17, 2023. It’s a small village in Karmala Taluka and Solapur district. The villagers welcomed us with beautiful garlands. The roads were decorated with rangoli. One of our devotees named Panduranga Jadhav belongs to this village. He invited us for prasadam and prepared Maharashtrian puran poli, a very famous Marathi dish. In all festivals, Maharashtrians make Puran poli. It was offered to our Lordships and we all honored prasadam.
The next day we went for nagar sankirtana and that day was the death anniversary of the great saint Saint Savata Mali. Saint of Maharashtra, was born in a small village called Aran, Mhada, Solapur.
Saint Savata mali was well-known for his Abhangas. His devotion to his sacred life and morals are in abundance. Like Tukaram, Savata also used to sing the glories of Vitthala while working on his farm. So, the villagers were having a celebration in his honor and at the same time we went with the padayatra chariot. It was a perfect blend. They all joined our sankirtana and sang and danced to their hearts’ content.
Many of them took the Bhagavad gita and also sponsored prasadam for about 50 villagers, haribol. They also took chanting beads from us and promised that they will chant the holy name daily. Two villagers were so inspired that they took sankalpa and left onion and garlic and wore Tulsi neck beads. Many small books were also distributed.
Then in evening, many joined us for Gaura arati, and followed by that was katha glorifying the holy name. Overall, it was a wonderful event and the people of the village were very simple easily accepted devotional life. Maharashtra is a land of saints so the people of the villages are spiritual. Many people from Maharashtra also attend regular dindi to Pandharpur. So, they easily take up devotional life.
All glories to the saints of Maharashtra.
