M-Town celebrities' walk of faith

Every year, at this time, the chants of Gyanoba Tukaram reverberate in the city. Joining the wari this year, some for the first time, are celebs from M-town.
The reasons for their participation are varied. If some are attending the procession for faith, others are joining in to fuel their photography passion, get off-beat video footage for films or just to experience the palkhi.
When the wari gets going from Hadapsar, director Sujay Dahake will join the procession, to capture its ���������unseen��������� colours in his camera for his next film. ���������I am basically a photographer and have always wanted to take photographs of the wari. Last year, I could not do so because we were busy shooting for Shaala. This year though, I plan to capture the flip side of the wari. Through my lens, I want to portray how everyday life is affected due to the traditional procession. Traffic jams, pollution and the other effects on nature ��������� there are many such aspects to the procession, which I plan to incorporate in my next film based on wildlife.���������
For director Gajendra Ahire, joining the procession is a question of coming closer to his culture. His son, who just completed his Standard X examination, will accompany him. ���������I want to show my son what our culture is like. Interestingly, the younger generation is showing a lot of interest in such traditions, which is a positive sign. This is the first time we are going and we plan to walk till Jejuri,��������� the filmmaker says.
Walking 40 km from Pune to Saswad is no mean feat. Director Aditya Sarpotdar is determined to complete it. ���������Earlier I have walked this stretch a few times during my college days but in the last 3-4 years, I haven���������t been able to do so. This year, I will join the procession at Hadapsar and will walk for 40 km till Saswad. I know so many youngsters who walk with the palkhi for various reasons ��������� some to lose weight, some to shoot documentaries. Interestingly, a lot of girls walk with the palkhi because unlike Ganeshotsav, there is no pushing or shoving in this procession. This makes the palkhi a unique occurrence,��������� he smiles.
For actress Mrunal Kulkarni, the palkhi means much more than a colourful, yearly tradition. Her grandfather Go Ni Dandekar���������s association with Dnyaneshwari is a part of Maharashtra���������s literary history. ���������Besides my grandfather, who wrote such rich text on Saint Dnyaneshwar, I also read a book by Irawati Karve and most recently watched Ajit Bhairavkar���������s film Gajaar. All of this upped my curiosity about this unique tradition. I have always been curious to know what keeps these people going, especially when there is no entertainment, no tamasha or any such thing in this journey. Fortunately, I have a function to attend today in Pune, so I plan to experience the wari this year,��������� she says.
Among others who want to be a part of this tradition are actor Abhyangh Kuvalekar who wants to soak in the vibrant atmosphere for a few hours and director Pramod Joshi who, along with his wife, is determined to reach as close as he can to the padukas (foot imprints) of the Lord to seek blessings. ���������The peace and the happiness one gets here is unmatched,��������� Joshi says.