Prabodhini Ekadashi (), also known as Deva Uttana Ekadashi (), is the 11th lunar day ( ''ekadashi'') in the bright fortnight (

Shukla Paksha Paksha (also known as ''pakṣa''; sa, पक्ष, Nepal Bhasa: ''thwa'' and ''gа̄''; ) refers to a fortnight or a lunar phase in a month of the Hindu lunar calendar. Literally meaning "side", a paksha is the period either side of the Ful ...

) of the

Hindu month The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a ...

of Kartika. It marks the end of the four-month period of Chaturmasya, when the god

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

is believed to be asleep. It is believed that Vishnu sleeps on the day of

Shayani Ekadashi Shayani Ekadashi (), also known by various other names, is the eleventh lunar day (Ekadashi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashadha (June - July). This occasion is holy to Vaishnavas, the followers of the Hindu pres ...

, and wakes on this day. The end of Chaturmasya, when marriages are prohibited, signifies the beginning of the Hindu wedding season. Prabodhini Ekadashi is followed by Kartika Purnima, which day is celebrated as Deva Deepavali, the

Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...

of the

devas Devas may refer to: * Devas Club, a club in south London * Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter * Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist * Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club * Devas (band), ...

. It is also believed that Vishnu married Tulasi, a manifestation of

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). A ...

, on this day.

Nomenclature

The occasion is known by various names such as Prabodhini Ekadashi (awakening eleventh), Vishnu Prabodhini (awakening of Vishnu), Hari Prabodhini, Deva Prabodhini Ekadashi, Uttana Ekadashi, and Deothan. This day is known as ''Thulo Ekadashi'' ("Biggest of the ''Ekadashi''s") in

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

Celebrations

A fast is observed on Prabodhini Ekadashi and the ritual marriage of the Tulasi plant is performed with god Vishnu, in the form of the holy black colored Shaligrama stone, which is regarded as the husband of Tulasi, in its twenty-four permutations. During the evening, devotees prepare floor designs by geru paste (red soil) and rice paste in some traditions. Images of Lakshmi and Vishnu are also prepared from it.

puja and

puja are observed during the evening time, with the offerings of sugarcane, rice, dried red chillies, which are subsequently given to

pandit A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...

s. This ritual marriage is known as Tulasi Vivaha, and may be conducted on the next day of Prabodhini Ekadashi in some traditions, instead of on Prabodhini Ekadashi.

Pandharpur

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

, Prabodhini Ekadashi is linked with the god

Vithoba Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar Krishna. Vithoba is of ...

- a form of Vishnu.

Varkari Warkari ( Marathi: वारकरी; Pronunciation: �aːɾkəɾiː Meaning: 'The one who performs the ''Wari) is a sampradaya (religious movement) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the I ...

pilgrims throng the

Pandharpur Pandharpur (Pronunciation: əɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ is a well known pilgrimage town, on the banks of Candrabhagā River, near Solapur city in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District ...

temple of Vithoba on this day. The celebrations in Pandharpur continue for five days, till the full moon day ( Kartika Purnima). On Prabodhini Ekadashi, the chief minister or a minister of Maharashtra state performs ritual components of worship on behalf of the

Government of Maharashtra The Government of Maharashtra is the state governing authority for the state of Maharashtra, India. It is a democratically elected government with 288 MLAs elected to the Vidhan Sabha for a five-year term. Maharashtra has a Maharashtra Legisl ...

. This form of worship is known as ''sarkari-mahapuja''.

Mt. Girnar

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

, more 800,000 pilgrims perform the 32-km Lili Parikrama, circumambulation of Mt.

Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. Geology Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. The rock types identified in this complex are ga ...

, over a two-day period. This performed as a gesture of thanksgiving to the gods, who are believed to have assembled on the mountain.

Pushkar

Pushkar Pushkar is a city and headquarters of Pushkar tehsil in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated about northwest of Ajmer and about southwest of Jaipur.Pushkar Fair or ''Pushkar mela'' commences on this day and continues till the full moon day (Kartika Purnima). This fair is held in the honour of god

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...

, whose temple stands at Pushkar. A ritual bath during the five days of the fair in the Pushkar lake is considered to lead one to salvation.

Sadhu ''Sadhu'' ( sa, साधु, IAST: ' (male), ''sādhvī'' or ''sādhvīne'' (female)), also spelled ''saddhu'', is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. ...

s gather here and stay from ekadashi to full moon day in caves. About 200,000 people and 25,000 camels assemble in Pushkar for the fair. Pushkar fair is Asia's largest camel fair.

Rituals

Sugarcane harvest

Prabodhini Ekadashi also marks the beginning of

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...

harvest. The farmer performs a puja in the field and ceremoniously cuts some sugarcane, laying some at the boundary of the field and distributing five canes to a

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

priest, blacksmith, carpenter, washer-man and water-carrier and taking five canes at home. At home, figures of Vishnu and his consort

are drawn on a wooden-board with cowdung and butter. The sugarcane are tied together at the top and placed round the board. Some cotton, betel-nut, lentils and sweets are offered along with a

yagna Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...

(fire sacrifice). A ''prabhatiya'', or song urging the god to wake, is sung. The canes are then broken and hung off the roof till

Holi Holi (), also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love,The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...". is an ancient Hindu religious festival ...

, when they are burnt.Festivals In Indian Society (2 Vols. Set) By Usha Sharma p.190
/ref>

Swaminarayan sect

Prabodhini Ekadashi is considered as an important Ekadashi in the

Swaminarayan sect The Swaminarayan Sampradaya, also known as Swaminarayan Hinduism and Swaminarayan movement, is a Hindu Vaishnava sampradaya rooted in Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, characterized by the worship of its charismatic founder Sahajanand Swami, bet ...

. The day commemorates the

diksha Diksha ( Sanskrit: दीक्षा) also spelled diksa, deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru (in Guru–shishya tradition) ...

, or religious initiation, of Swaminarayan by his guru

Ramanand Swami Ramanand Swami (born ''Rama Sharma'') to a Brahmin family in Ayodhya in Vikram Samvat 1795 (1738 AD). His parents were Ajay Sharma (father) and Sumati (mother). He was considered to be the incarnation of Uddhava, a close friend of Krishna. ...

on October 28, 1800. The day also commemorates the passing of authority by Ramanand Swami to Swaminarayan on November 16, 1801. Swaminarayan followers observe a waterless fast and offer an offering of fresh vegetables to the deities.

References

{{Hindu festivals Hindu holy days October observances November observances Hindu festivals Vaishnavism