SRI VITTHALA RUKMINI MANDIR, PANDHARPUR (MAHA)

In Pandharpur, the spiritual capital of Maharashtra, Sri Hari is worshipped as Vitthala and fondly called Vithobha/ Panduranga.

This is the only place where one can touch Narayan’s feet or keep one's forhead upon His feet.

Once, Radha Rani visited Dwarika. Seeing Krishna’s love for Radha, Devi Rukmini became upset and departed for the forest of Dindirvana, near Pandharpur.

Krishna followed Rukmini to apologize but Rukmini was unmoved. So Krishna went on to Pandharpur to visit Bhakta Pundarika.
When he reached Pundarika’s ashrama, Pundarika was serving his elderly parents. So Pundarika gave him a seat of brick and asked him to wait. Krishna did as told. He stood, lotus hands on His hips, waiting for Pundarika to return.
While he was waiting, Rukmini, rejoined Him.
Both decided to stay there and to this day, Krishna stands on the same brick, as Vitthala.

The ceiling of the mandir has the famous eight prayers known as Pandurangashtakam, composed by Adi Shankaracharya Ji during his visit to Pandharpur.
For detailed story of Bhakta Pundarika, please read earlier thread https://t.co/HqXgMx7RaC

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