Śrī Viṭṭhala Rukmiṇī Mandir
The god who waits on a brick
⭐ Why it is famous
Heart of the Vārkarī tradition — Viṭṭhala standing arms-akimbo on a brick, reached each Āṣāḍhī Ekādaśī by a million walking pilgrims.
📜 Pilgrimage history
Inscriptions date the temple to at least 1189 CE; Jñāneśvar, Nāmdev, Ekanāth and Tukārām all sang here, shaping Marathi bhakti.
🕰️ Temple timings
- Kākad Ārati 04:30
- Darśan 05:00 – 23:00
- Śej Ārati 23:00
🙏 Darśan details
- Free darśan with pāda-sparśa (touching the feet) — the queue can take 6–10 hours in Āṣāḍha
- ₹200 mukh-darśan line for a quicker view
- Online booking on the temple committee site
🚉 Location & getting there
📍 Śrī Viṭṭhala Rukmiṇī Mandir, Pandharpur, SolapurPandharpur (PVR) — 2 km
Pandharpur bus stand — state transport buses stop here.
Solapur (SSE) — 72 km
Buses from Solapur (2 hrs), Pune (5 hrs), Kolhapur (5 hrs).
🪔 Poojas, sevās & tickets
This temple does not publish a rate list. Darśan is free; ārcanā, abhiṣeka and other sevās are booked at the counter inside the temple on the day.
🧭 Around the temple
Places to see besides the temple — tap any one to open it in Google Maps.
🛏️ Where to stay
- Committee bhaktaniwas
- Dharmaśālās along the Chandrabhāgā
- Hotels near the bus stand
₹ Indicative trip cost (per head, 2 days)
| Budget | Standard | Comfort |
|---|---|---|
| ₹1,800 | ₹3,500 | ₹8,000 |
🛕 Nearby temples
📌 Other attractions nearby
- Chandrabhāgā ghāṭs
- Gopalpur Viṭṭhala
- Vārī procession
🧵 Part of these circuits
📅 Best time to visit
Āṣāḍhī and Kārtikī Ekādaśī for the Vārī; winter for calm darśan