Vitthal Rukmini Temple to Be Built in London, Marking Global Milestone for Devotees
Nagpur/London: A grand Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple will soon be built in London, marking a major moment for devotees across the world. The temple will reflect the deep spiritual traditions of the Warkari sect and the sacred Wari of Pandharpur, bringing the legacy of Maharashtra to a global platform.
To mark the occasion, an International Dindi Yatra will be organised, starting from Pandharpur on April 15 and reaching London by June. The Paduka Yatra will cover around 18,000 kilometres across 22 countries over 70 days. Though the sacred Padukas could be flown, the journey will be undertaken mainly on foot and by vehicle, involving lakhs of devotees, as a tribute to the traditional Wari spirit.
Indian chef Vishnu Manohar and management expert Mohan Pande, Principal Advisor to LIT University, have been appointed as coordinators for this major initiative in India. They will oversee fundraising and coordination efforts for the temple and the yatra.
According to Vishnu Manohar, while temples like ISKCON, Akshardham, and Balaji exist abroad, there has never been a temple dedicated to Panduranga that showcases the saint literature and Wari tradition of Maharashtra. He said that the absence of such a temple has long been felt by the Marathi community overseas.
Mohan Pande explained that the Paduka Yatra will travel through countries including Nepal, China, Russia and several parts of Europe. The journey will help spread awareness about the Wari and Maharashtrian devotion worldwide. He added that the Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple Committee in Pandharpur is actively supporting the event, with Executive Officer Rajendra Shelke and President Gahininath Maharaj Ausekar preparing a detailed plan.
The project has received blessings and support from several leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, MP Udayanraje Bhosale, MIT’s Vishwanath Karad and many Warkari leaders.
To honour the moment, Vitthal Patil donated one kilogram of silver. Renowned kirtankar Charudutta Afale has also pledged his full support.
Several other supporters were present during the announcement, including IT entrepreneur Sangram Wagh from Manchester, environmentalist Utkarsh Khopkar from Nagpur, Milind Deshkar and Vijay Jathe. The initiative is expected to create a strong spiritual and cultural link between Maharashtra and the global community.
-t-thumb.jpeg)
