Ashadhi Ekadashi
Ashadhi Ekadashi, also known as Devshayani Ekadashi, is a sacred day in the Hindu calendar marking the commencement of Lord Vishnu’s four-month-long slumber. Falling on the eleventh lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in the Ashadha month (June-July), this auspicious occasion holds profound religious and spiritual significance for devotees.
Generally Ekadashi is considered to be coming on each month of the year but the eleventh day of Ashadh is said to be the great Ekadashi which is also called by the name Shayani Ekadashi. Legend has it that King Mandata, a righteous ruler, faced a severe drought in his kingdom. He turned to the sage Angiras for guidance, who advised him to observe Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the lunar cycle, to please Lord Vishnu. The king followed the sage’s advice, and soon his kingdom was blessed with rain, ending the drought. This incident gave birth to the tradition of observing Shayani Ekadashi.
The Ashadhi Ekadashi is generally held during the months of June and July which are the monsoon months of our country.
During this day the devotees keep fast the whole day and they go walking in huge processions to Pandharpur. People sing chanting hymns of Saint Dyaneshwar and Saint Tukaram to pay their tribute to their God Vitthal. This procession starts in Allandi and ends on Guru Poornima at Pandharpur. This day is considered very pious and people join the yatra not only from Maharashtra but also from other cities as well. Men are dressed in ethnic wears like dhoti and kurta and sing devotional songs during this long journey. It is simply spectacular to see this tradition of Maharashtra which is very colourful and energetic.
Shayani Ekadashi is a revered day in Hinduism, especially for Vaishnava Hindus who consider Lord Vishnu as the ultimate deity. Devshayani Ekadashi is one of the auspicious occasions that marks the beginning of Lord Vishnu’s sleep cycle. On Shayani Ekadashi, a fast is observed, and people do prayers to the goddess, god painting. People buy God idols online to worship at home. Idols were placed on a red cloth at a specific place in the house as per vastu. People do worship to their idols with brass diyas and puja thali to please god. Mandhata was a famous former king who decided to create the right conditions for the severe drought that plagued his kingdom. He set out on a journey to find an answer for the people’s plight. The king met Rishi Angiras to see if he could provide a solution.
It is believed that Fasting on Devshayani Ekadashi helps you avoid any sin and maintain emotional stability. Devotees take holy baths in the rivers, including the Ganges, and if they can’t either, people buy Gangajal and bathe in their homes. On Fast Monday, devotees also observe fasting and chant mantras to please Lord vitthal for his blessings. The special day known as Ashadi Ekadashi marks the beginning of Chaturmas. People from other regions pray to lord vitthal and rukmini. The Ashadhi Ekadashi is a very important festival for the Varkari community. It is said that there is no guarantee that any auspicious actions will be successful during this period, including purchasing a house, wearing a janae, and others. There is evidence that fasting on this day with devotion will lead to a happy, successful, and peaceful life. This day is very important, as Lord Brahma and Lord Krishna have said. King Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, was told of its importance by them.