Thackeray prays for miracle to overcome coronavirus crisis
July 01, 2020  14:29
image
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday performed the 'mahapooja' of Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi and said he prayed for a miracle to overcome the coronavirus crisis. Ashadhi Ekadashi, an important day in the Hindu calendar, is the 11th lunar day of Ashadha month.


"I prayed to Mauli. We want to see a miracle. Show us a miracle. Human beings have given up. We don't have medicine. There is nothing. How to go on with life by covering the mouth with a strip," Thackeray tweeted after the 'mahapooja' at 2 am along with wife Rashmi.


Lakhs of warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal) from across Maharashtra and several other states throng the temple town in Solapur district each year on Ashadhi Ekadashi. There were only a handful on Wednesday after the state authorities cancelled the annual 'wari' pilgrimage - characterised by people walking to Pandharpur with palanquins - due to spiraling coronavirus cases. Maharashtra's coronavirus case tally rose to 1,74,761 on Tuesday with addition of 4,878 new patients while the death toll mounted by 245, including 57 fatalities in Mumbai, to 7,855, state health department said. 

Thackeray and his wife performed the 'mahapooja' wearing face masks. Speaking after the 'mahapooja', Thackeray said he prayed to Lord Vitthal to make the country coronavirus-free. His son and state minister Aaditya Thackeray was also present at the 'mahapooja'. During the ritual, Aaditya apparently felt uneasy and returned to his car parked outside the temple for some time. -- PTI
« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES