Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly on December 19 approved a resolution to rename Pune’s Lohegaon Airport to “Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport.” The resolution will be forwarded to the central government for further action on the renaming process.
The proposal, introduced by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar under Rule 110 of the Maharashtra Assembly, was approved by the Assembly. The Maharashtra Cabinet had already given its approval for the name change of the Pune Airport.
Who was Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj?
Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj was a famous Hindu saint and a poet from Maharashtra. He lived in the 17th century and he is best known for his devotional poetry, known as Abhanga, which is still very popular in Maharashtra. Tukaram’s poetry focuses on his devotion to Lord Vitthala, a form of Lord Vishnu and talks about the importance of living a simple and honest life.
Tukaram was born in Dehu, a village near Pune around 1598 or 1608 . His birth name was Tukaram Bolhoba Ambile and he was the son of Bolhoba and Kankai. Tukaram’s life was marked by his devotion to Lord Vitthala and he spent most of his later years in devotional worship, community kirtans and composing Abhanga poetry.
Tukaram’s taught about the importance of kindness, honesty and simple living. He also promoted the Varkari sect and played a major role in making popular the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra. His poetry and teachings have had a great impact on Marathi literature and culture and he is still revered as a saint and a literary icon in Maharashtra.
