Sheetal Pai Kane, a fitness enthusiast, an entrepreneur from Goa and an integral part of the Confederation of Indian Industry – Indian Women Network (CII-IWN), joined the Pandharpur wari this year for the first time. She walked over 210 km in six days and came back transformed from the wari, with aching feet and a full heart
Every July, lakhs of devotees walk across Maharashtra and nearby areas towards Pandharpur to seek blessings from Lord Vitthal. Goa-based Sheetal Pai Kane, Past Chairperson of the CII-IWN, has done her share of treks and hikes. But the Pandharpur wari, she admits, was something else entirely; it was an experience that hand-held her through a spiritual journey on which thousands of Vitthal devotees embark every year.
“I absolutely loved it. The wari is an incomparable experience; emotionally, spiritually and physically. It’s a 21-day pilgrimage that begins from Dehu and Alandi with the padukas (sacred sandals) of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram and ends in Pandharpur. This tradition has been alive for over 1,000 years and is open to everyone,” she says.
Although Sheetal had grown up fascinated by the wari tradition around Ashadhi Ekadashi, this was the first time she participated. “Since Pandurang-Vitthal is the deity on my paternal side, I was always familiar with the culture. But this was my first time being a part of it.”
The mother of two had little time to prepare. “I had barely a week to put everything together. I was initially planning to drive to Pune, but my Rotary Club (Panaji Midtown) decided to fly in and I joined them. We flew with the FLY91 airline from Goa to Pune; a super convenient and smooth experience.”
What pushed her to undertake the gruelling, spiritual journey? “Curiosity, honestly. I had always seen people walking, whether in rain or intense sun, and wondered what drives them. Why do they walk? What do they gain? I didn’t want to keep asking. I wanted to feel it myself.”
There were physical challenges along the way, Sheetal says, but she does not see them as akin to hardship. “I wouldn’t call them hardships. The journey, in fact, was full of joy. But yes, there were physical challenges. Walking 35+ km a day gave me blisters and swelling, especially by Day Three and Four. I hadn’t carried bigger shoes, so my feet were really struggling. Walking from Saswad to Jejuri in the rain was tough, but manageable. The mornings were my favourite because it was peaceful, cool and quiet,” she said.
She was also inspired by a trekking friend who had done the wari the year before. “With Ashadhi Ekadashi approaching, I felt this year was the right time. Life has a way of aligning things and I didn’t want to postpone it.”
Sheetal began her walk from Hadapsar in Pune and covered 210 km over six days. “I compressed what would usually be done in three weeks into a much more intense schedule.”
Along the way, she met fellow pilgrims, including two couples from Pune who had done the wari seven times. “They were kind enough to share tips – how to pace myself, where to take breaks, what to carry. For a first-time pilgrim, their wisdom and kindness were incredibly comforting.”
Along the route, there were also profound moments of human kindness that Sheetal experienced. “One moment I’ll never forget happened on Day Five. I was exhausted and stopped for tea. An elderly man offered me chai and biscuits. When I took off my shoes to apply ointment, his daughter came out and began pressing my feet. I was shocked and tried to stop her, but she said, “Helping a pilgrim brings punya (good deed).”
She also recalls the discipline and quiet, disciplined order of the wari procession. “Even with lakhs of people, there was no chaos. No pushing, no shouting. If one group paused, others waited. It felt like self-regulating ecosystem calm, respectful and guided by shared devotion.”
Her husband, Sunil Pai Kane, joined her for the last leg, thanks to a direct and newly introduced FLY91 flight from Goa to Solapur. “We were able to walk the final stretch together, which was incredibly special.”
Sheetal believes the newly introduced route by FLY91 between Goa and Solapur would encourage many more Goans to experience the wari or simply visit Pandharpur without hesitation.
Commenting on the connectivity, Sunil Pai Kane, Group CFO, Pai Kane Group added, “ When I learned about the Goa – Solapur route being opened by FLY91, it was a truly exciting development – especially as the wari had just commenced and all attention was focused on the movement towards Pandharpur. The fact that one could leave home in Goa at 6 a.m. and reach Pandharpur by 10 am – in less than four hours – was astounding. I still recall how, in the past, we had to break the journey with an overnight halt in Kolhapur, followed by a long drive of three to four hours to Pandharpur the next day. So, being able to travel from home to Pandharpur seamlessly and efficiently was truly a revelation. Personally, I’ve flown with FLY91 quite regularly to Bengaluru, Pune, and other sectors, and I must say I’ve consistently had a wonderful experience. The service feels personalized, and I’ve seen fellow travelers receive the same warm attention, which speaks volumes about the airline’s consistency. This journey also marked my first time landing in an aircraft at a smaller, tier 3 city airport – and that, too, was a unique and memorable experience.”
Manoj Chacko, MD and CEO FLY91 said, “It’s commendable that Sheetal has completed the 210km Pandharpur wari and we at FLY91 are happy to be part of her experience.” Commenting on the connectivity between Goa and Solapur he added, “Among our destinations – Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Solapur, Agatti (Lakshadweep), Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune – several also double up as key pilgrim hubs. Solapur, for instance, is extremely popular due to its proximity to Pandharpur, home to the revered Vitthal-Rukmini temple, which draws lakhs of devotees, especially during the Ashadhi Ekadashi period. 
With FLY91’s direct flights connecting Goa and Solapur, travellers and pilgrims can now conveniently access religious and cultural heritage destinations such as Pandharpur (Vitthal- Rukmini Temple), Tuljapur (Tulja Bhavani Temple), Akkalkot (Swami Samarth Maharaj Temple), Gangapur (Sri Narasimha Saraswati Swami Math) and the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, important spiritual hubs attracting millions of visitors annually from Maharashtra and other parts of the country.
FLY91 is the only airline which beautifully connects these devotional destinations to Goa.”
Of Lord Vitthal, Sheetal says: “To me, Vitthal is a form of Krishna – warm, approachable, deeply rooted in everyday life.”
And of the wari? “This is something every Goan should experience at least once”
