WARI- THE SACRED JOURNEY

Abstract

Wari: The Sacred Journey explores how architecture can support the temporary transformation of villages along the Pandharpur Wari route in Maharashtra, India. Each year, nearly 1 to 1.5 million Warkaris walk from Alandi to Pandharpur, temporarily reshaping halt villages into spaces of devotion, service, rest, food distribution, washing, gathering, and shelter.Through field observation, walking the Wari, activity mapping, interviews, and precedent analysis, this thesis studies the Wari as both a sacred journey and a moving spatial system. Barad, a village-scale Palkhital, is selected as the primary site to test how architectural interventions can respond to pilgrimage needs while serving everyday village life. The proposed design includes a community kitchen, washing courtyard, multipurpose hall, outdoor classroom, community guesthouse for elderly Warkaris, shaded pathways, verandahs, plinths, and devotional gathering spaces. Together, these create an adaptable public framework that supports pilgrims during Wari and remains useful to the school, temple, and local community throughout the year. Rather than creating single-use pilgrimage infrastructure, the thesis proposes a community-supportive prototype that can be adapted to other Palkhital sites along the route.