As Aashadhi Ekadashi dawns on Wednesday, Pandharpur in Maharashtra's Solapur district, already brimming with devotees, as the worshippers of Lord Vithal come seeking his blessings.
As part of the Ekadashi celebrations this year, various cultural and religious programmes have been organized by the Vithalapur temple's committee. A devotional music concert by Pandit Raja Kale will be held at 5pm on Wednesday.
Pandharpur is a town in district Solapur in state of Maharashtra in Western India. It is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra. It is located 65 km west of Sholapur, on the banks of the river Bhima, which is also known as Chandrabhaga. Known as “Sourthern Kashi of India”, Pandharpur proudly hosts the “Kuladivat” of Maharashtra State- Shree Vithoba and Rukmini, on the banks of the river.Also known by the other names, Pandurang, Vitthal or Pandhari, it is supposed to be The Supreme God of The Universe for all the Maharashtrians and an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Vishnu.
The word Vitthala is derived from the word Vishnu in Kannada. Panduranga is a sanskritized form of Pandarga, the old name of Pandharpur. Pundalik, a saint was closely associated with this shrine, and hence this shrine is also known as Pundarika pura. The worship of Vishnu – Vitthala at Pandharpur is derived mainly from the puranas and has been augmented by the contribution of the great Vaishnava saints of Maharashtra and Karnataka from the 13th through the 17th centuries like Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Sant Eknath, Purandara Dasa, Vijaya Dasa, Gopala Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa, Chokhamela, Janabai and many others.
It is believed that Vishnu falls asleep in Ksheersagar – cosmic ocean of milk – on Shesha nāga, the cosmic serpent. Thus the day is also called Dev-Shayani Ekadashi or Hari-shayani Ekadashi or Shayana Ekadashi. Vishnu finally awakens from his slumber four months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi – eleventh day of bright fortnight in the Hindu month Kartik (October-November). This period is known as Chaturmas (lit. “four months”) and coincides with the rainy season. Thus, Shayani Ekadashi is the beginning of Chaturmas. Devotees start observing the Chaturmas vrata to please Vishnu on this day.
A fast is observed on Shayani Ekadashi. The fast demands abstainance from all grains, beans, cereals, certain vegetables like onions and certain spices and all kinds of meat and eggs.
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