Ashadi Ekadashi - Significance and Procedure

Ashadhi Ekadashi

Ashadi Ekadasi, also spelt as Ashadhi Ekadashi, is the most important Ekadasi vrata observed as first Ekadashi
This is the day of the huge "yatra" or pilgrimages to the god Vithoba of Pandharpur, a town in south Maharashtra, situated on the banks of the Bhima River, a tributary of the Krishna River.

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.

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. 

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.

sourced: http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/Festivals%2FAshadhi%20Ekadashi.htm

Significance and meaning of ekadashi

As per many legends associated with Ashadi Ekadasi, Lord Vishnu goes on to Yog nidra (cosmic meditation) on this day for four months. These four months holy period is observed as Chaturmas Puja. Sri Maha Vishnu opens his eyes and gets up from the cosmic sleep on Utthana Ekadasi (Dev Prabodhini Ekadashi) which is also popular as Kartik Ekadashi. In Pandharpur Vithoba Temple, Kartik Ekadasi Yatra is another important pilgrimage festival.

Unlike other vowed religious observances, an ekadashi need not be observed with a resolve (sankalpa) and ritual. It is the basic among all vowed religious observances and rituals.

The proportion of sattva, raja, tama components in every organism varies according to time/season (kal). On the eleventh day of each Hindu lunar fortnights, the sattva component is maximum in all living beings. Hence, if one does spiritual practice on an ekadashi, one benefits to a greater extent.

Method of observing Ashadhi ekadashi

If it is not possible to observe the eleventh day of each fortnight of the Hindu calendar, one can at least observe the eleventh day of the bright fortnight. Worship: On both the ekadashi of Ashadh, Lord Vishnu is worshipped as Shridhar (one of the Names of Lord Vishnu). A lamp of clarified butter (ghee) is kept lit throughout the night of an Ashadhi ekadashi.

Intake: On any ekadashi, one's intake should be kept limited to only water, and a mixture of dried ginger (suntha) and sugar. However, if not possible to do so, one can eat foods allowed during Hindu fasts (upavas). These foods, being sattvik, do not reduce one's sattva component, detracting from focus on God (the very aim of a fast - upavas - is to be close to God),. A fast observed on an ekadashi is ended the following day.

The pilgrimage (vari) to the town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, India: The vowed religious observance of going on a pilgrimage to Pandharpur, the seat of Lord Vitthal is commenced from the ekadashi of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha. 

(sourced: http://www.sanatan.org/weekly/2002/131/festivals.htm)

Sabudana khichidi is generally taken in the evening.

Recipe for Sabudana Khichidi (Sago)

---