Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Performs Official Maha Puja of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini on Ashadhi Ekadashi

Pandharpur : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the official Shasakiya Maha Puja of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini at the historic Vitthal Temple in Pandharpur on the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.

After the grand puja, the Chief Minister along with his wife offered aarti to the deities and sought their blessings. 

Speaking on the occasion, CM Fadnavis described the moment as profoundly special, steeped in the unwavering faith and devotion of lakhs of Warkaris and the continuous chanting of Lord Vitthal’s name.

“Today, I was truly blessed to perform the Maha Puja of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini alongside my wife at this sacred land of Pandharpur. Every moment spent at the feet of Lord Vitthal is indescribable,” he said.

During the ceremony, the Chief Minister felicitated the ‘Manache Warkari’ couple — Balasaheb Mane and Prabhawati Mane, farmers from Dharashiv (Osmanabad) — and presented them with the ‘Shri Vitthal 

Nirmal Dindi Puraskar 2026’.

CM Fadnavis also addressed the gathered Warkaris and offered his respects at the sacred Charan Padukas of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj. He prayed for the prosperity of the state’s farmers (Baliraja) and the fulfillment of every citizen’s wishes.

Timeline of the Visit

Chief Minister Fadnavis arrived in Pandharpur on Thursday (Guruwar). He reached the Vitthal Temple along with his wife and family around 2:00 AM on Friday. The official Maha Puja was performed around 2:30 AM, followed by the traditional puja of Goddess Rukmini.