Travel
Sites Visit
Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh in South
India, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh in North India, Assam, Bengal,
Sikkim in East India |
Overseas
Tourist Offices
Tourist
offices in India Helpline
| |
Religion Back
To Index Page
Devotees take out procession in Varanasi on 'Nirjala Ekadashi' Varanasi:
The banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi reverberated with Vedic chants as hundreds
of devotees gathered for a procession on the occasion of 'Nirjala Ekadashi', one
of the toughest fasting days dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the preserver. The devotees
carried 1008 silver and clay urns filled with water from holy rivers in the country,
symbolically integrating all the 12 'Jyotirlingas' of the country by conducting
the 'Jalabhishek' of Kashi Vishwanath. The aim of the procession this time was
not just religious. The organisers also wanted to raise awareness about the present
state of the Ganga . "The aim is to get the holy water to Kashi, to be submerged
in the river Ganga to maintain the sanctity of the river. Ganga is diminishing
by the day, and we are also trying to raise awareness regarding the state of the
river through this yatra," said Anand Tulasyan, coordinator, Kalash Yatra. Nirjala
refers to 'without water'; hence on this day staunch Vishnu devotees who undertake
this fast do not drink water or eat any food for the day. The fast begins at (Ekadasi)
sunrise and at sunrise next day (Dwadasi). -June
3, 2009 |
|