When you hear mantras being chanted by priests and the mellifluous singing of hymns by devotees, you know you have reached Pandharpur. Situated in the Solapur district in Maharashtra, Pandharpur is a famous pilgrimage spot in the state. It attracts tourists who are on a spiritual quest from all over the country who come here to worship and pay respect to the Gods and Goddesses in this town. All the festivals and rituals are done with complete faith and devotion by the locals. The festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor. Situated on the banks of River Bhima, Pandharpur also offers scenic beauty and riverside enjoyment to its tourists. Every Wednesday is considered to be the auspicious day of the week and Ekadashi is considered to be sacred in this holy town.
Pandharpur’s cityscape is dotted with temples. The Vitthal Rukhmani Temple is the main attraction in this city. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal, one of the many forms of Lord Vishnu. Another temple that attracts many tourists here is the ISKCON temple, which is also called the Sri Sri Radha Pandarinath Mandir. The Pundalik Temple also attracts many devotees. Dedicated to Lord Vitthal, it is believed that he spent his last at in this temple. The Vishnupad Temple and Kaikadi Maharaj Matt are well recognized amongst tourists. The Vishnupad Temple is a beautifully designed one with 16 pillars that support its roof. There is a stone bearing the footprints of Lord Krishna and a cow. The Kaikadi Maharaj Matt is an extraordinary place to go to-- it has all the different Hindu scriptures and tales depicted in the form of large, life-like models.
Festivals are celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm in this city. Festivals like Aashadi Ekadashi and Karthik/Karthik Ekadashi are popular in the city, and attract many visitors. The best time to visit the city is in June-July and November, which are the main festive periods.
Local means of transport like state transport buses are easily available for traveling in and around Pandharpur. You could choose to hire a taxi or rent a private car to get around the city, but it is best advised to move around on foot. Walking from one place to another ensures that you don't miss any important place of worship.
On a daily basis there are approximately 109 flights that operate at Pune Airport.IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Pandharpur through train.Pandharpuris one of the most popular train stations in Pandharpur.On an average about 14 trains pass through Pandharpur on a daily basis.Kurduvadi to Pandharpur, Miraj to Pandharpur, Kolhapur to Pandharpurare some of the most popular routes to Pandharpur with 38, 16, 16 trains weekly respectively.
By road Pandharpur is surrounded by Solapur, Barshi, Indi which are 38.47 km, 45.74 km, 54.63 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.