Pandharpur (Pronunciation: ]), also Pandaripuram is a popular pilgrimage town, on the banks of ChandrabhagàRiver, near Solapur city in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, and it is an electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly (<span dir="ltr" lang="hi-latn">vidhan sabha</span>). The Vithoba temple attracts about a million Hindu pilgrims during the major yÃÂtrà(pilgrimage) in Ashadha (JuneâÂÂJuly). Kasegaon is the largest village in pandharpur talukas.A small temple of à Âri Vitthala-Rukmini is also located, which is as old as the main Vitthala-Rukmini Mandir, in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as Wakhari Va Korti Devalayas and also known as Visava Mandir. The Bhakti Saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is said to have spent 7 days in the city at the Vithobha Temple. It is said that the deity Vithoba has been worshipped by many saints of Maharashtra. Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant TukÃÂrÃÂm, Sant NÃÂmdev, Sant EknÃÂth, Sant NivruttinÃÂth, Sant MuktÃÂbai, Sant ChokhÃÂmelÃÂ¥ÃÂ, Sant SavatàMÃÂli, Sant Narhari SonÃÂr, Sant GoràKumbhÃÂr, Sant MeeràBai and Sant GajÃÂnan MahÃÂraj are a few of those prominent saints.
The oldest mention of Pandharpur is from 516 CE from the Rashtrakuta era copper plate inscription. Yadava Kings in the 11th and 12th centuries gave numerous donations to the temple as evident from the inscriptions.
In the era of Adilshahi, most of the town was destroyed by Afzal Khan. Saints from all across Maharashtra still gathered here for annual pilgrimage and thus Pandharpur became the heart of the devotional movement which laid to the social-religious reform. This resulted in new social synthesis which later paved the foundation of Maratha Empire.
In the second half of the 18th century under the Marathas the temple and town was rebuilt under the Peshwas of Pune, Scindia of Gwailor and Holkar of Indore.
Mahadwar is main locality in the city and a market place. Mahadwar leads to main ghÃÂt of Pandharpur that is "Mahadwar ghat". There is temple of Bhakta Pundalik on the ghÃÂt.
It is said that Krishna came to Pandharpur to meet his disciple Bhakta Pundalëk<nowiki/>a who was busy serving his parents at that time he offered brick called viá¹ in maraá¹Âhi to Krishna and requested him to wait standing on the brick for some time till he attended to his parents. The same Krishna is standing on the brick for the last 28 yuga and thus is also knows as Vitthala. So in ÃÂrati of vitthal it is mentioned "yuge atá¹ÂhÃÂvis (28), viá¹Âhevari ubhÃÂ".
There are many other ancient scriptures that elaborate the importance of Vitthala.
Chandogya Upanishad: The fourth chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, has one of the source of the ancient tradition of Shri Vitthala's worship. It contains the story of King Janà Âhruti who mentions his visit to Pandharpur when he was on the way to search for Raikva.àHe remarks that " He arrived at the location where the god "Vitthala," who is simply a reincarnation of Vishnu, was located on the bank of the river BhimÃÂ. The name of this pilgrimage is Bindutirth, and the name of the local deity is BindumÃÂdhav. There, the God who gives the blessings of material and spiritual prosperity still lives."
Padma Purana: The meaning of PÃÂnduranga or Viá¹Âthala is explained in VarÃÂha samhitàof Padma Purana. Devrishi NÃÂrada narrates to ÃÂdià Âeá¹£a about arrival of PÃÂnduranga in Pandharpur, It explains the background and significance of Vitthala's brick-standing at Pandharpur and origin of the Bhima River. Additionally, it provides information on Pandharpur's different gods and deities. Neera Narasinḥpur is as holy as PrayÃÂga, Korti or Vishnupad is as holy as GayÃÂ, and Pandharpur is as holy as KÃÂà Âë. Therefore, a trip to Pandharpur could result in the blessings of the pilgrimage to these three locations. This is where Gaya à Âhraddha and KÃÂshi yÃÂtra rituals can be carried out.
Skanda Purana: Shiva narrates to PÃÂrvati, "This place is spiritually fruitful three times more than Puá¹£hkara, six times more than KedÃÂrnÃÂth, ten times more than VÃÂrÃÂnasi and many more times than à Ârià Âaila. Performing YÃÂtra, VÃÂri, and DÃÂn have great merit at this place.
There are four gates on the outside and inside of this building. Only via these gates may a person enter a city and they must bend their heads to the deity of these revered gates. Goddess Sarasvati is to the east, Siddheshvar of Machanoor is to the south, Bhuvaneshvar is to the west, and Mahià ÂhÃÂsà «rmardini is to the north at the internal gate. To the east of the exterior gates are Trivikarms of Ter, Koteshvar of Krishnatir Shorpalaya Kà Âhetra, MahÃÂlakà Âhmë of KolhÃÂpur and Narsinḥa of Neera narasinhapur.
Vishnu is regarded to reside here with his nine celestial attributes. VimalÃÂ, Uttkarshani, Dyan, KriyÃÂ, Yoga, Pavi, SatyÃÂ, Eshana, and Anugraha are the names of those nine powers. Garuá¸Âh (the eagle) stands in front of the PÃÂnduranga statue, with Brahmàand Sanakadika to its right and the eleven Rudras and Shiva to its left. All of the gods, including Indra, are applauding Panduranga from behind the idol.
This ancient text goes into detail about the importance and advantages of various temple rituals, including taking refuge in the temple's shadow, performing PÃÂnduranga darshan, praising Panduranga in front of him, dancing in the rangshala, visiting the temple for darshan during dhupÃÂrti, cleaning the temple grounds, etc. The text clarifies the significance of the Pandharpur shrines Kundal Tirtha and Padma Tirtha.
BalarÃÂma also arrived and served the deity, along with Dhaumya Rishi and Yudhiá¹£há¹Âhira and all of his brothers. In Pandharpur, Rukmini served the deity and gave birth to Pradyumna. The effects of the river Bhima's entry into Pandhari, Pandhari's protector Shri Bhairava, the devotee Muktakeshi's meditation, and her acceptance by God are all detailed in this scripture.
According to the 2011 census of India, Pandharpur had a population of 98,000. Males constituted 52% of the population and females, 48%. 71% of the population was literate; 78% of males and 64% of females.
Marathi is the official and main language of the people.
It is a major holy place in Maharashtra and it is also called South Kashi (Dakshin Kashi) in Maharashtra. It is famous for the Lord Vitthala temple situated on the bank of the Bhima river. Bhima river is also known as Chandrabhaga as it takes shape like a crescent moon near the town and hence gets the name. There are 4 yatra's (vaari- gathering of pilgrims/devotees) per year, Chaitri, Ashadhi, Kartiki and Maghi, of which Ashadhi and Kartiki are the main ones. Devotees come from all over Maharashtra, Karnataka and some part of Tamil Nadu
Pandharpur is 76 km from Solapur, 136 km from Sangli, 210 km from Pune and 360 km from Mumbai. MSRTC bus station is located in the central part of city and at just 1 km distance from Shri Vitthala-Rukmini Temple. Direct services to almost all parts of Maharashtra are available with the highest frequency to the cities of Solapur, Sangli and Pune. When it comes to other states, daily buses are available to different parts of Karnataka(mostly north Karnataka) and Hyderabad. Apart from this many private bus services operate daily between Pandharpur to Pune and Pandharpur to Sangli.
Pandharpur railway station has daily trains to Kurduwadi and Miraj junctions. Kolhapur-Nagpur Express is available twice a week on Monday and Friday. Daily direct train from Sangli railway station to Pandharpur is also available daily night which is Sangli-Miraj-Parli Vaijnath express. Every Friday there is a train to Yeshwantpur (Bengaluru), Daily there is a train to Mysore Via: Vijayapura, Gadag, Hubballi and Bengaluru. Dadar-Satara express running on Dadar-Pandharpur-Sangli-Satara also connects Pandharpur to Sangli, Bhilavdi, Kirloskarvadi, Karad, Masur, Satara.
Nearest International and domestic airports are Pune Airport (210 km) and Kolhapur airport (180 km).
Pandharpur is notable for its tourist destination of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir.