A small town called Pandharpur in the district of Solapur in
Maharashtra is one of the most respected Vitthala (Krishna)
pilgrimage sites of the country. Pandharpur is the abode of the famous
Lord Vitthala also known as Panduranga, Pandhari or Vithoba
enshrined in the Vithoba temple. This temple is the greatest center of
attraction in Pandharpur for the masses as far as the spiritual field
goes. This temple has a total of six gates and covers a large area.Pandharpur hosts four "Yatras" in a year. The "Aashadhi Yatra" is the one which attracts most pilgrims (around 0.5 to 0.7 million) to Pandharpur every year. Devotees take holy bath in river Bhima and usually stand in long queues in order to take "Darshana" of Lord Vitthala. The second important yatra is "Kartiki". The huge crowds that accompany the palanquins of the various saints to Pandharpur gives a clear image of the popularity of Vithoba in the region.
