Haldi Festival - FrameTheFair

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Vittal Birdev Annual Yatra popularly known as Haldi Festival is celebrated in a small village Pattan Kodoli in the district Kolhapur of Maharashtra.
It is attended by a large number of devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra & Karnataka.
Shri Vittal Birdev, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the community deity of the shepherds. The shepherds believe that the festivities bring good fortune to them.
The 4-day festival is held every year to celebrate their deity’s birth anniversary.
Sri Keloba Rajabau Waghmode, known as ‘baba’, walks for 17 days from his native village to Pattan Kodoli for this celebration.
People drowning in the festive mood can be seen throwing turmeric i.e. haldi on each other and the baba and seeking his blessings, who is seated under a Banyan tree.
On the main festival day, the baba goes to the temple with the devotees throwing a mixture of dry coconut & haldi on him. Huge umbrellas along with a music procession are put in place to welcome him into the temple premises.
Just as the baba enters the temple, he slips into a trance mode & he starts dancing and jumping for some time.
After 10-15 minutes, he prognosticates about the condition of farming, rain and other conditions. He speaks in Kannada, which is believed to be his trance language & the priest translates it to Marathi. According to the locals, his predictions are 90% right every year.
After the rituals are over on the 4th day, he starts his journey back to his village.
The ceremony of applying haldi to everyone is celebrated between 1 pm – 5 pm on the prediction day. Devotees with large umbrellas decorated with traditional art, dance to the folk songs beat of the drums and sing along.
During this celebration, from a distance, it appears to be like a golden blanket in the air.

By Air

The nearest airport is Kolhapur Airport but it has limited connectivity.
Pune Airport is preferred for better connectivity with all the metropolitan cities.
After getting off at the airport, you have to take a 6-hour cab/bus ride to Kolhapur/Pattan Kodoli.
Cabs can be pre-booked or you can hire one outside the airport.
In case of a bus, the option of pre-booking & getting on one is open but you’ll have to come down to the bus stand.

By Rail

You can take a train to Kolhapur Railway Station which is well connected to a few major cities of the country – Delhi, Mumbai.
After which, you’ll have to take a 30-minute cab/bus ride to Pattan Kodoli.

By Road

There are no direct buses from a majority of metropolitan cities. Thus, coming down to Mumbai and then taking a bus to Kolhapur is suggested.
The frequency of buses to Pattan Kodoli is very low. Due to which, people travelling to & from the village keep a huge margin of time to avoid getting late.

Budget-Friendly

Restaurants for Indian Food in Pattan Kodoli are -

Opal Hotel - Address: Old Pune Bangalore Road, Rukmini Nagar
Hotel Om Ganesh - Address: Rajarampuri, Kolhapur
Hotel Nilesh - Address: Burud Galli, Budhwar Peth Road.

Restaurants for Multi Cuisine Food in Pattan Kodoli are -

Shivtirth Pure Veg - Address: Kolhapur Sangli Road, MAJALE
Hotel Dakkhan Riyasat - Address: Hupari Road, Gad Mudshingi
Hotel Kolhapuri Tadaka Family Restaurant - Address: Pune Bangalore Highway, Ujalaiwadi

Fine Dining

Agent Jack’s Bar - Address: Ion Digital Zone Jupiter Complex, Main Road, Tarabai Park
Cafe Mexico Resto - Address: Gold Gym Road, Tarabai Park
Barbeque Nation Restaurant - Address: Sayaji Hotel, 9th floor, Old Pune Bangalore Road

Below Rs. 500 Per Night

Hotel Parvati - This hotel is strategically placed at Pulachi Shiroli. With a plethora of services, this place is one of the best one in the city in this category. It also offers an in-dine restaurant.

Chinmay Yatri Niwas - Established at Mahadwar Road, a prominent location, this hotel is a one-stop for their priority is customer satisfaction.

Premium:

Wamans Orient Crown Hotel - This hotel offers its customers to choose from well set non-Air Conditioned rooms, Air Conditioned rooms & suites. With in-dine facilities and varied services, this is one of the most renowned hotels in the area.

Hotel Rasika Renaissance - Being one of the top-most 3-star hotels in the city, it caters the varied requirements of the customers with utmost courtesy & promptness.

Luxury:

Sayaji Hotel Ltd - A place that offers varied services and with a lot of payment options, this is a convenient choice to make it to your list. With the motive of serving the customers with the best, this hotel surely does wonders when it comes to catering to the needs of the travellers.

Hotel Tandoor Corner - They provide rooms in various categories and the staff is supportive & prompt in helping the visitors. It is a hotel that comforts a visitor with excellent service. Additionally, various payment options are available to choose from.