The Maharashtra government on Monday renamed Pune airport after Sant Tukaram. The new name of Pune's Lohgaon Airport has been changed to 'Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj International Airport, Pune.' This decision to rename the airport was taken in the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting.
Who was Sant Tukaram?
Sant Tukaram, a Vaishnav saint was born in Pune's Dehu gaon. He was a seventeenth-century Marathi poet, related to the Bhakti movement of Maharashtra. He was a devotee of Shri Krishna's Vitthal form. Vitthal is revered by the Varkari community. Tukaram's poetry is widely recognised in Bhagawat tradition which began with Namdev.
Saint Tukaram is best known for his devotional poetry called Abhanga, which is popular in Maharashtra, many of his poems deals with social reform. His majestic temple was built in Pune's Dehu where he was born. The place is situated on the banks of the Indrayani River. He just lived for 48 years and was believed to have ascended to Vaikunth (the heavenly abode of Bhagwan Vishnu).
Revered temples in Dehu
Some of the revered temples associated with Saint Tukaram in Dehu are:
- Tukaram Maharaj Janm Sthan Temple
- Sant Tukaram Vaikunthstan Temple
- Sant Tukaram Maharaj Gatha Mandir
Lohegaon: Sant Tukaram's mother's village
The suggestion to rename Pune Airport was given by Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol and was appreciated by Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis. He had assured that the matter would be taken up in the next Cabinet meeting. Mohol had put forward a proposal last month, citing that Lohegaon, where the airport is located, was Sant Tukaram Maharaj’s mother’s village. As per the procedure, a proposal for naming an airport comes from the state government first to the central government, and after that, the decision is taken.
