Nirjala Ekadashi Worship In Varanasi

By Staff

Monday, June 16, 2008, 15:47

Devotees thronged Varanasi on Saturday on the occasion of 'Nirjala Ekadasi' fasting in which people abstain even from consuming water.

Thousands of devotees, carrying pots filled with the holy water of the river Ganges, chanted sacred hymns and sang psalms to please lord Shiva.

On this day, people observe fast abstaining even from consuming water. People carry water on this day to lustrate the idols of lord Shiva.

“On the pious occasion of 'Nirjala Ekadasi' people are carrying water of the Holy Ganges to lustrate all the idols of Lord Shiva in the town," said Dayashankar Mishra, devotee.

People from other parts of the country also visited the city carrying water from their respective places.

“People are coming with water from all parts of the country. The head priest of the Jyortirling Nageshwar has come with seawater. This year the other specialty is that the water of Mansarovar has also been brought on the occasion," said Vishwadevanand Ji Maharaj, priest from Gujarat.

On every eleventh day of the fortnights in a year Ekadasi vow is observed.

However, the Hindu community considers the one, which falls during this time of the year, most auspicious and beneficial.

This observation of vows on this day has references in the Indian epic Mahabharata which says that Bhima, one of the protagonists of the epic observed fast on this day.