An Old Man

An Old Man - A Varkari


"Varkari" is a Vaishnava religious movement within the devotional spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. 


Varkaris worship Vithoba (also known as Vitthal), regarded as a form of Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu.
The Varkari tradition affected and deeply rooted in the lives of the common people of Maharashtra - India, for six hundred years.


Every year Varkari walk hundreds of miles to the holy town of Pandharpur (Maharashtra), gathering there on Ekadashi (the 11st day) of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Aashaadha (which falls sometime in July). Varkaris making the pilgrimage to Pandharpur carry the palkhis (palanquins) of the sants from their places of samadhi (enlightenment or "spiritual birth"). more details can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varkari.


Thanks Punit, for allowing me to use his photographs from this year' s (2011) Palkhi procession for a reference. 
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/61293032@N07/5922051017/in/set-72157627036972681/lightbox/]


Medium - Black Ink, Water color pencils