It is said that in the yester years Man wandered all over the world in the search of God. He walked across continents, climbed mountains and swam rivers; his persistence in the search enhanced by his faith and devotion was finally rewarded. Man experienced that all that he had been looking for was enshrined within His own self and the Tapasya that he did in the form of walking was just steps taken forward on the journey of self realization. It is this staunch faith that the Lord will reveal Himself as a guide, companion and fellow traveler is what inspires the Varkari community in Maharashtra to undertake a sacred Padayatra in the month of Ashadi. This Dindi Yatra forms a major facet of the Annual Ashadi celebrations at Puttaparthy, wherein hundreds of men, women and children embark on an arduous yet delightful walk from Dharmavaram to Prashanthi Nilayam. They experience Sai as they joyously walk towards the Divine Presence, losing themselves in the heart rending Bhajans invoking Lord Vitthala.

July 17, 2010, Dharmavaram. 8:00 p.m : As has been the ritual for the past 12 years ever since the Dindi Yatra to Puttaparthy began, a simple but sublime Pooja was held at the Sri Sita Rama Hanumantha Kalyana Mandapam. While, Shri Ramesh Sawant , State President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Maharashtra & Shri Vijaya Bhaskar, Member of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Maharashtra placed Swami’s Padukas in the beautifully decorated Palki, the air was charged with the resonating chants of the Vedas. Ceremonial lamps were lit to the accompaniment of soulful Bhajans . The men lifted the Palki while the ladies carried the Tulsi plant and a Kalash and went around the Kalyana Mandapam. Coconuts were broken to ward off evil and Swami’s blessings were sought. Thus the 2010 Dindi Yatra was Divinely inaugurated.

July 18, 2010, Dharmavaram. 8:00 a.m.: It is customary for the Varkaris to begin the Dindi by touching each others’ feet irrespective of age or gender. This is indeed a magnificient ritual as it symbolizes salutations to the Divine enshrined in each of us. This was followed by Aarthi setting a beautiful tone of loving companionship by invoking the guidance of the Divine at the very outset of the 40 kilometres hike towards Prashanti Nilayam. The invigorating chants of Rama, Krishna, Vitthala throbbed in every heart, set to the scintillating beats of cymbals and drums. The congregation moved like one massive body soaked in the flood of Divine Love. Oblivious of exhaustion and difficult patches on the not-so-perfect roads, they charged on intoxicated with the Name of their Lord who had ensured that all necessities of food, medical services and logistics had been meticulously planned for by the organizers.

As if invited to a Divine Banquet, the Varkaris stopped for Lunch at a temple. They set out again in the scorching afternoon heat towards Basampally where the Varkaris halted for the night. They had covered the first 13 kilometres of the Dindi, but had probably reached much further in their Search Within!

July 19,2010 : Today the Varkaris covered the next leg of their journey, a distance of 16 kms from Basampally to Kotacheruvu . They began the walk by invoking the company of their Lord. The enthusiastic singing electrified the atmosphere with a Divine fervor as the gathering charged on for the Yatra. The Divine can embody any form whenever He wills and one was awe - inspired at the discovery of a dog who had been accompanying the procession right from Dharmavaram as a silent comrade on the Divine Path! Some people christened it as Ved Rupa – the embodiment of Veda.

Lunch at Kodapakanapally was transformed into an exhilarating experience of togetherness as the Varkaris indulged in beautiful folk dances of India e.g. Garba, Ghumad etc. to the accompaniment of Bhajans sung with rejuvenating zeal.

The night at Kotacheruvu school was transformed into a beautiful study circle as Smt. Swati Kagalkar from Pune regaled the audience with Sathya Sai Katha and Smt. Swati recounted stories of Bhagawan in Marathi. The Varkaris had forgotten all about exhaustion and even after a physically strenuous day, they still had the strength to conduct Bal Vikas for around 86 students of the school.

July 20, 2010. 8:00 a.m. : Today would be the last day of the Yatra. Every person awoke to a heart rending feeling of anticipation as they would finally be rewarded with the Darshan of their Lord. The three days of incessant chanting of the Divine Name, the continuous meditation on His Form would finally culminate in a Glorious Union with the One they have already been absorbed in – in thought, word and deed for the past 72 hours. Today they walk with a spring in their steps and a prayer in their hearts and sure enough Bhagawan looked after them like a Mother indulging her beloved children.