Pandharpur or Pandhari is synonimous with the main centre of worship for Vittal also referred as Pandurang believed to be a form of Bhagawan Krishna or Vishnu and his consort Rakhumai. It is the most visited temple in Maharashtra. The Warkaris start marching from their homes to the temple of Pandharpur in groups called Dindi (procession) to reach on Aashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi. A dip in the holy river Chandrabhaga on whose banks Pandharpur resides, is believed to have power to wash all sins. All the devotees are allowed to touch the feet of the idol of Vithoba.

Devotion in any form reaches God swiftly. Impressed by Pundalik's devotion to his parents, Vishnu planned to bless Pundalik immediately. So, he left Vaikuntha (His abode) for Pundalik’s ashram. Vishnu knocks at Pundalik’s door, when he is busy serving his parents food. Pundalik does realize God is at his door. But such was his devotion to his parents, he wants to complete his duties and only then attend the visitor. Then, Pundalik does something strange but out of real devotion. He throws a brick outside for God to stand on and wait for him until he finishes attending to his parents. It is the first day of monsoon so it is wet and muddy outside. If Lord Vishnu stands upon a brick his feet will remain clean and dry.

Seeing this act, Vishnu was extremely impressed and the ever-loving God waited for his devotee. When Pundalik came out, he begged for pardon but far from being displeased, Vishnu was taken over by Pundalik's love for his parents and granted a boon. Pundalik requested Vishnu to stay back on Earth and bless all his true devotees. He agreed to take the form of Vithoba, or God who stood upon a brick, and a temple came up there. Along with Vithoba, Rakhumai (Mother Rukmini, the consort of Krishna, one of avatars of Vishnu) is also worshipped here.

The Varkari tradition has been part of Hindu culture in Maharashtra since the thirteenth-century CE, when it formed as a panth (community of people with shared spiritual beliefs and practices) during the Bhakti movement. Varkaris recognise around fifty poet-saints (sants) whose works over a period of 500 years were documented in an eighteenth-century hagiography. The Varkari tradition regards these sants to have a common spiritual line of descent.

Among the most commonly revered Saints by Varkaris are
Sant Gyaneshwar
Sant Tukaram
Sant Namdev
Sant Eknath
Sant Nivruttinath
Sant Muktabai
Sant Sopan
Sant Sena Nhavi
Sant Chokhamela
Sant Soyarabai
Sant Bhanudas
Sant Janabai
Sant Savata Mali
Sant Narahari Sonar
Sant Niloba
Sant Gora Kumbhar
Sant Kanhopatra
Sant Bahinabai

Varkaris look upon God as the Ultimate Truth and ascertained grades of values in social life but accepted ultimate equality among men. Varkaris prostrated in front of each other because "everybody is Bramham" and stressed individual sacrifice, forgiveness, simplicity, overcoming passions, peaceful co-existence, compassion, non-violence, love and humility in social life.

The Varkari poets put God-realisation (haripath) in simple terms in small booklets of verse. Each saint extolled japa, chanting the Lord's name. Bhakti saints of the Varkari sect tried to mould the attitude of the common people, which included low castes and women, to have a kind of detachment and the courage of one's convictions in the face of evil forces.

Varkari people undertake an annual pilgrimage (vari) to Pandharpur, gathering there on Ekadashi (the 11th day) of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashadha, corresponding to a date falling sometime between late June to July in the Gregorian calendar. Pilgrims carry Palkhi of the saints from their places of Samadhi (Enlightenment or "spiritual birth"). The tradition of carrying the paduka (sandals) of the sants in a Palkhi was started by the youngest son of Sant Tukaram, Narayan Maharaj, in 1685. Further changes were brought to the pilgrimage by descendants of Sant Tukaram in the 1820s and by Haibatravbaba, a courtier of the Scindias and devotee of Sant Gyaneshwar.

Devotees of Vitthal were holding pilgrimages prior to the 14th century. In the present day, about 40 palkhis and their devotees from all over Maharashtra do so. Another pilgrimage is celebrated on the Ekadashi of the month of Kartika, which falls in November of the Gregorian Calendar.

Events such as Ringan and Dhava are held during the pilgrimage. During the Ringan, an unmounted sacred horse called Maulincha Ashva, who is believed to be the soul of the saint whose idol is being carried in the litter, runs through the rows of pilgrims, who try catching the dust particles kicked off and smear their head with the same. Dhava is another kind of race where everyone wins and it is held to commemorate the manner in which Sant Tukaram first saw the temple at Pandharpur and started running in sheer exhilaration.