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ASHADHI
EKADASHI |
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Type :
Religious Procession
Festival |
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Celebrated at
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Pandharpur |
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In the month
of :
June - July |
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Ashadhi Ekadashi is more of a religious
procession festival and is celebrated during the months of June- July (Aashaadh
Shukla paksha). People consider the two eleventh days, "Ekadashi", of every
month to be of special importance. But the eleventh day (bright) of Ashadh is
known as the great Ekadashi or Mahaekadashi. This Mahaekadashi is also known as
Shayani Ekadashi, because on this day Vishnu falls asleep to wake up four
months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi in the Kartik month. This period is known
as Chaturmas and coincides with the rainy season. |
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Ashadhi Ekadashi is the day of fast and on
this day people go walking in huge processions to Pandharpur singing the
Abhangas (chanting hymns) of Saint Tukaram and Saint Dnyaneshwar to see their
God Vitthal. The yatra starts in Allandi and ends on Guru Poornima day at
Pandharpur. |
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The Feast
The feast of Ashadhi Ekadashi is celebrated with
great solemnity at Pandharpur. Hundreds of thousands go in procession from
different parts of Maharashtra, some carrying palanquins with the images of the
great saints of Maharashtra. Dnaneshwar's image is carried from Alandi,
Tukaram's from Dehu, Eknath's from Paithan, Nivruttinath's from Trimbakeshwar,
Muktabai's from Edlabad, and Sopan's from Sasvad.
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