Pilgrim's Progess
Uttarakhand tragedy deepened for Mumbaikars when the IAF pilot Darryl Castelino, who died in the chopper crash, was buried with full honours on Sunday. A middle-class neighbourhood of Marathi and Christian population in Vakola thronged the church to lend their support to the family. Although the rescue operations have resumed and perhaps nearly concluded, for Darryl’s family and friends it will be a long, hard journey ahead.
And even as we try to deal with Uttarakhand tragedy, another pilgrimage has started in Maharashtra. Several lakh people are expected to walk more than 200 km over two weeks to accomplish the Pandharpur wari, a 700-year-old pilgrimage. It culminates with a darshan of Lord Vithoba, avatar of Vishnu on July 19 this year. It is the discipline and simplicity of the pilgrims —mostly farming communities from rural Maharashtra —apart from dance and music and processions — that is stuff of legends.