About Alandi
Alandi is a small city and municipal council in Maharashtra’s Pune district. The place encompasses the Samadhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar, a 13th century Marathi Bhakti saint, because of which it has become a revered pilgrimage. Several pilgrims visit the place each year.
Geography of Alandi
Alandi is situated on Indrayani River’s bank and lies 25 km north of Pune, India. The average elevation of the place is 577 meters.Economy of Alandi
Pilgrims from around the state of Maharashtra as well as other parts of the country visit Alandi each year. The city sees major celebrations twice every year and the number of pilgrims visiting here increases drastically around this time. Several dharamshalas have been set up in the city that offer boarding and lodging to these pilgrims, thereby, contributing to the economy of Alandi. The sale of the material required for worshipping such as flowers, candles, sweets, holy books, idols, etc increases manifolds during this time. The Brahmins who perform the pooja and other rituals also benefit a great deal especially during the festival season. The overall sale of different local items also increases as the pilgrims buy souvenirs. The hotel industry also makes its share of profit. Besides, the local municipal council takes the pilgrim tax and goods tax.Apart from tourism industry, agriculture also contributes a great deal in the growth of the country’s economy. Groundnut is grown in abundance in and around the city.
Culture of Alandi
Alandi’s population is a mix of different castes and creed. However, the Maratha clans, Gundhare-Patil and Kurhade-Patil form a majority here. People belonging from different castes and these clan live in complete harmony with each other. Marathi and Hindi are the most spoken languages here. Different festivals including Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Holi and Eid are celebrated with great zeal here.Tourism of Alandi
Alandi is known as a place of pilgrimage as it encompasses several religious spots. Apart from its many religious spots there is no other place of interest in the city for tourists.Religious Spots
Besides Saint Dnyaneshwar Samadhi, which is the main religious spot here there are many other places of religious importance. Let us have a look at the same and more about this Samadhi:Saint Dyaneshwar Samadhi: Saint Dyaneshwar attained Samadhi in Siddheshwar temple in Alandi after translating the Bhagvad Gita in Marathi. A temple complex has been built near the Samadhi. Several pilgrims, especially those belonging to the Varkari sSect visit the place each year. Saint
Dyaneshwar Samadhi pulls a huge crowd especially on the Ekadashi every month.
Vitthala Rakhumai Temple: Another place of religious significance, this too is visited by many pilgrims from across the city as well as other parts of the state.
Sant Jalaram Temple: Constructed in 1960, this temple is known for its beautiful architecture. The temple complex encompasses a temple of Santoshi Mata.
Sant Tukaram Samadhi: The Samadhi of Sant Tukaram is situated in Dehu, a town that that lies near Alandi city.
Sambhaji Raje Bhosle Memorial: This is the Samadhi of the son of Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Raje Bhosle. It is located in village Tulapur that is around 6 km from Alandi.
Laxmi Narayan Mandir: Another revered religious spot in Alandi. Devotees of Lord Laxmi Narayan gather in large numbers to offer prayers.
Narsinha Saraswati Math: A famous math in the city, the Narsinha Saraswati Math also sees a good number of visitors from around the city.