The Ekadashi of Ashadhi is the eleventh day of the fourth month of the Hindu calendar which has a lot of religious significance among the Hindus in Goa. The auspicious day is marked by expressing gratitude to Lord Vithal, an incarnation of Shri Krishna. Besides, people observe a fast for half a day and eat only special vegetarian dishes. The Shri Vithal temple situated at Pandharpur in Maharashtra is an important seat of the Bhakti cult, unifying a large number of Hindu devotees belonging to various castes and sub-castes in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The temples of Lord Vithal throughout Goa will observe Ashadhi Ekadashi on Friday by organizing a variety of cultural and religious events like bhajans, kirtans and pravachan.
While Shri Krishna is the popular deity of the Vaishnavs, Shri Vithal is worshipped by both the Shaivites and the Vaishnavs. Every year Goan Hindus go on a pilgrimage to Shri Vithal temple at Pandharpur on Ashadi Ekadashi. This tradition is deeply rooted in history for more than 600 years. It is believed that Vataba Dulba Rane Morlekar from Morle-Sattari and other devotees used to visit Shri Vithal temple of Pandharpur on the occasion of Ashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi. On one occasion, when he was on a pilgrimage, it become difficult for him to continue because of his advanced age. He prayed wholeheartedly to the Lord and urged him to excuse him.
At this juncture, Shri Vithal appeared in his dream and told him that he would come along with him to Karapur in Goa. When Rane got up from sleep, he saw metal idols of Shri Vithal and consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama in his bag. After coming to Goa, these idols were installed by the devotees in the temple at Karapur on a hillock known as Marutigad. As soon as the temple was built the area acquired the name Vithalpur. This Shri Vithal temple in Goa was established before 1494 and the tradition of Ekadashi celebration became one of the significant events associated with it. According to Vithal Nagesh Gawade, a writer from Postwada-Honda, “Through the worship of Shri Vithal, the saints opened our eyes against superstitions and prevailing social evils. The saints paved the way for equality based on amity and brotherhood. Ashadhi Ekadashi celebration helps us to revive the humanitarian teachings of the saints”. Shri Vithal temples at Akhada, Marcela, Ponda, Nanoda-Bicholim, Partagal-Canacona and in other parts of Goa have organized special programmes of devotional songs and religious discourses on Friday.
Courtesy: TOI
