Sant tukaram maharaj gatha mandir

Dehu near Pune is primarily known for its association with Sant Tukaram, a towering figure in the annals of India's religious history. His legacy is particularly manifest in this part of India. There has arguably been no better practitioner of the Abhang form of devotional poetry. We made two visits to Dehu within a span of 9 months to visit the temples associated with Sant Tukaram. The first one was on a cool January day. The second one was three days back after monsoonal rains had lashed the land. Both journeys started from Pimple Saudagar. We hired a car the first time and drove ourselves the second time. There are quite a few temples in Dehu bearing the tag of Tukaram. We visited the Tukaram Janmasthan Mandir, the home in which he grew up and the Tukaram Gatha Mandir (memorial). All of them are set on the banks of the Indrayani River which flows through Dehu. Post-monsoon, the river made for a good sight, full and flowing. On an off-day, it should be easy to find a spot on the banks of the river and spend a fulfilling hour or so. The Gatha Mandir was fairly crowded the first time around (a Saturday) and had barely anyone the second time (a Sunday two days after Ganesh Chaturthi). There are numerous shrines within the temple to Ganesha, Vittala, Shiva and others in the pantheon. The first visit included an absorbing scene that typified the influence the Sant continues to wield in these parts. There were about 70-100 women of varying ages seated underneath a shamiana ere...