CM Devendra Fadnavis, wife Amruta perform Ashadhi Ekadashi puja

Maharashtra Chief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday performed the traditional Ashadhi Ekadashi 2025 mahapuja at the VitthalRukmini temple in Pandharpur He said he prayed for the prosperity of farmers and the resolution of crises across the state reported news agency PTIAs part of a longstanding tradition the Maharashtra CM offers prayers at the temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini in Solapur districtrsquos Pandharpur town every year on Ashadhi EkadashiFadnavis was joined by his wife Amruta in performing the ritual A Warkari couple Kailas Damu Ugle and Kalpana Ugle from Jategaon in Nashik district also perform the puja alongside the CM reported PTI fadnavis_amrutaMaharashtra Pandharpur AashadhiEkadashi pictwittercomu7rzA3N2vvmdash Devendra Fadnavis Dev_Fadnavis July 6 2025Lakhs of warkaris ndash devotees of Lord Vitthal ndash gathered in Pandharpur for the annual celebration which marks the culmination of the wari pilgrimageIn his address following the mahapuja CM Fadnavis said he had prayed to Lord Vitthal to ldquokeep farmers happy and content remove all crises from the state and bless everyone with wisdom to walk the path of righteousnessrdquo PTI reportedHe noted that this yearrsquos wari had witnessed record participation especially from the youthldquoThis yearrsquos wari has set new records with a massive turnout of devotees many of whom walked long distances to Pandharpur to seek Lord Vitthalrsquos blessingsrdquo Fadnavis saidHe emphasised the spiritual and cultural importance of the wari traditionldquoIn this journey every devotee sees Lord Vitthal in one another Nowhere else in the world is such a tradition found The chanting of Harirsquos name throughout the wari brings new energy It embodies the true spirit of the Bhakti movementrdquo he addedCM Fadnavis also highlighted the statersquos efforts to promote cleanliness and sustainability during the event He described this yearrsquos wari as both nirmal clean and environmentally consciousldquoWe have truly realised the teachings of our saints who always emphasised good sanitation practicesrdquo Fadnavis said commending the success of cleanliness initiativesHe further praised the decision to suspend VIP access to darshan which significantly reduced waiting times for common devoteesldquoThis move ensured that every devotee had equal and timely access to Lord Vitthalrsquos darshanrdquo he notedEarlier in the day VitthalRukmini Temple Committee vicechairman Gahininath Maharaj Aosekar welcomed the dignitaries and expressed satisfaction with this yearrsquos arrangements citing effective crowd management and improved facilities for warkarisFollowing the ceremony the committee felicitated Chief Minister Fadnavis The CM in turn honoured the Warkari couple Kailas and Kalpana Ugle who were also awarded a yearlong free bus pass by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTCFadnavis also presented the prestigious Shri Vitthal Nirmal Dindi awards to dindis pilgrim groups that excelled in promoting cleanliness and social awarenessThe event was attended by several senior state officials and dignitaries including Guardian Minister Jaykumar Gore Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan and MLAs such as Samadhan Autade Sachin Kalyanshetti Babasaheb Deshmukh Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil Sanjay Sawkare Devendra Kathe and Abhijit Patil Also present were Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar Solapur District Collector Kumar Ashirwad and members of the temple committeeWith PTI inputs