This ‘warkari’ believes in both Ram & Rahim

In Parbhani,Amir raises many eyebrows by working as a Shiv Sainik. “People are surprised to see me doing this. I believe in the Sena,just as I believe in the warkaris.”

He has a photo of Uddhav Thackeray on his cellphone,though he has never spoken to any of the Thackerays. “I treat them as my gurus,” he said.

A devout Muslim,Amir offers namaz five times a day. “But during the wari,it becomes difficult,but I try to offer prayers as many times as possible,” he said. He is the only member of his family and,perhaps,his community in Parbhani who actively participates in the wari.

Having grown up in Maharashtra,travelling with warkaris comes naturally to him,he said. It was Amir’s boss who first took him to Pandharpur. “We were more like friends than co-workers. On my first trip,I prayed for my own house,promising that I would come here every year,” he said.

He did manage to buy his own house in 2005 and since then his faith in the warkaris and Pandharpur yatra has become firm. Now,Amir hopes he will be able to convert his kuccha house into a brick-lined accommodation.

Amir has three children and earns less than Rs 3,500 a month. But during the wari,he does not take any money for his work.

Amir hopes his children will do well for themselves. “I can’t spend a lot of money on them; but I hope they get a good job one day. I’ve left it on the Lord,” he said.c