2021

CELEBRATING THE DIVINE JOURNEY WITH A PAUSE

Presented by

Mindspacearchitects
DESIGN BRIEF

Journeying to a place of special significance plays an important role in all cultures and
religions. The destination may be a shrine of a Deity, a Saint or a venerated figure or could
be a site marked by particular events. It involves journeying alone or in a group, reaching a
destination, encountering unique rituals, enjoying particular experiences along the way
and returning home. The Pandharpur Wari is one such enlightening and rewarding
journey.
The Pandharpur Wari, a 21-day one-way sojourn is undertaken in the months of June and
July (Ashadh), from Alandi and Dehu to Pandharpur to meet and worship Lord Vithoba. It
is a heritage treasure, especially for Maharashtra, encompassing the spiritual, spatial and
social elevation of humankind sustained by Wari as an instrument of change since the last
700 years. This march on foot from various locations in Maharashtra to Vithoba temple,
Pandharpur, attracts over a million pilgrims.

The pilgrims start from Alandi in Pune district carrying the Palkhi (palanquin) of Sant
Dnyaneshwar and reach Pandharpur via Pune, Saswad, Jejuri, Lonand, Taradgaon,
Phaltan, Natepute, Malshiras, Velapur, Shegaon and Wakhri. The pilgrims are arranged in
diverse groups known as Dindis.

Read more about the Wari here.

DESIGN PROGRAM

Velapur, a small agricultural town in the Malshiras Tehsil of Solapur district, serves as a
place for rest for the Warkaris, for a night, before resuming their journey onward to
Pandharpur.
In the span of one night, a Dindi of around 500 people, collectively engage in Kirtan (the
narration of stories, either vocally or through enactment), welcoming the Palkhi into the
town, chanting Bhajans (devotional songs and music), apart from cooking, sleeping and
other rudimentary activities. Accommodating the above transient activities for 500
Warkaris using a maximum area of 15,000 sq.ft. in the form of a systematic, open, semi-
open or partially built structure forms the design brief.
‘The Incompleteness in Design or the Design of Partially Completed Structures’ should
facilitate temporary additions, interventions by the Warkaris.
Drinking water facility, parking provision and hygiene and sanitation are integral to the
brief. The proposed intervention should not only recognize and respect the surrounding
environment, but also should transform and adapt to absorb the activities of the
inhabitants of Velapur and be converted into a shanty market, a festive square or a
multipurpose facility with temporary additions.
In addition to the above, the design brief comprises of permanent buildings - A Gram
Panchayat office, a small museum or gallery for the display of collection of sculptures and
ruined elements of temples that existed a few centuries ago during the Yadava Period. A
design proposal is invited for developing the ruined temple complex and the temple
Ghats for the use of various rituals and for tourists to halt while travelling on the highway.
The total area of disaggregated buildings can be a maximum of 10,000 sq.ft.
The essence of the design is in the seamless integration of the temporary, partially
completed and the permanent buildings.

SITE CONTEXT

Two land parcels with a connecting road and existing temples of historical significance
form an important layer and backdrop for the proposed activities.
One of the land parcels is a temple complex off the Pune-Pandharpur highway, with an
access from the highway and the main village road measuring 7,271 sq.m. It comprises of
an open ground, and an existing old Khandoba Temple which is worshipped by the
residents of Velapur. The temple has a pavilion and a central courtyard, which houses the
main shrine. Four Deepastambhas (Hindu architectural structures for oil lamps) and an
existing tree are also integral to this complex. The Warkaris and the residents of Velapur
perform rituals here during their one-day halt.
The second land parcel has an area of 38,481 sq.m. with a strong historical presence of a
ruined temple and a temple Tank (Kund), which was built in the Hemadpanti style, c.1300
during the reign of Devagiri Yadava king Ramchandra (1271-1310). The site has a few
existing trees.
The path connecting both the land parcels is sacred in nature with the plaza being the
point of pause. Intervention along this pathway should only enhance the sacredness.
This pathway will also be used by the Warkaris.

View the Google Maps location of the site here.

 Camera angles of the location

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