Overview
- The centuries-old Ashadhi Ekadashi Wari concluded on Saturday with lakhs of devotees crowding the Chandrabhaga riverbanks for ritual dips and temple darshan.
- Officials say an AI-based crowd-management system was deployed for the first time and recorded nearly 3.5 lakh visits to the Vitthal-Rukmai precinct by mid-afternoon.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the official mahapuja on the main day and announced that work on a Pandharpur Temple Corridor will begin this year to ease pilgrim congestion.
- A truck collision on July 13 on the Saswad–Jejuri Road killed three women pilgrims and injured four others, and police have detained the 70-year-old driver.
- Local 'Prati Pandharpur' sites and schools held parallel bhakti and gyan processions to spread the Warkari tradition while authorities face pressure to improve safety and infrastructure for future years.