Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

Putrada Ekadashi, also known as Pavitropana Ekadashi and Pavitra Ekadashi, is a Hindu holy day, which falls on the 11th lunar day (ekadashi) of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Shravana (July-August). All the normal rules associated with Ekadasi fasting is observed during Putrada.

The popular belief is that by observing Putrada Ekadasi Vrat one will be able to get a son. As per  Bhavishya purana, this vrat is mentioned by Lord Sri Krishna to Yudhishtira. It is also considered highly auspicious to feed poor children and old people on this day. Also a person who observe this vrata achieves moksha after his death.

Legend has it that King Mahijit was extremely successful and victorious. However, what bothered him was the absence of children which became a constant worry since he would not have anyone to perform his last rituals and honor the forefathers. He performed several charities, good deeds and also observed countless homas, yagnas and yagas (sacrifices) but in vain. Thus, he set out in the search of Sage Lomasa to seek help and advice. Born from the hair of Lord Brahma, Sage Lomasa had the capability to vision the past, present and future. The kind retold his entire story.

On hearing the story, the sage began meditating and realized that the king was a vysya (merchant) in his previous birth who traveled selling goods. On one journey, the king was very thirsty and reached a lake in the search of water. There, he saw a thirsty cow and a newborn calf drinking water. He then drove away the cow and his calf for drinking water himself. Therefore, he had committed the sin of obstructing the cow from drinking water. It was due to this reason that he was still childless in his present birth. To erase the sin committed, the sage advised the king to observe the Pavitra Ekadashi vrat.

The king, along with his wife, observe this fast and in due time, got a handsome and healthy son. Also, the son grew up to become a successful ruler. Therefore, pavitra Ekadashi is regarded as the most important fast dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is observed with great fervor and devotion. In addition, this vrat is known to be one of the greatest Ekadashi vrats among all 24 Ekadashi vrats in Hinduism as it is associated with engendering children. Foods containing rice and grains are avoided on this day. Some firm devotees even keep vigil (stay awake during the whole night) on this day.

2016 Date : 14^th August,Sunday.

2017 Date : 3rd August

Hayagriva Jayanthi

Lord Hayagriva is one of the  incarnations of Lord Maha Vishnu. Hayagriva is also often termed as Hayasira. Haya means 'Horse' and Sira means headed. Hence, Hayasira means 'a person with a horse-like head'.

Lord Hayagriva was born on the Sravana Poornima day. Hayagriva is a prominent deity amongst the Vaishavas and hence Hayagriva Jayanthi is an important festival for them.

According to Hindu texts, Vedas were stolen by Rakshasas and Lord Hayagriva fought with them and brought them back. Ancient texts says that Hayagriva is the first person to offer Akasharabasyam to Goddess Saraswati.

The festival is also prominently observed by the student community. Popular belief is that praying to Lord Hayagriva, particularly on the Hayagriva Jayanthi day bestows all that is necessary for good education to the students. Other related benefits will be elevation on job front, improvement in public image and reputation etc.

Hayagriva is most popular in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Symbolically, Hayagriva represents the triumph of pure knowledge, guided by the hand of God, over the demonic forces of passion and darkness. Traditionally, Hayagriva is worshipped for all learning ventures.

2016 Date : 17^th August, Wednesday.

2017 Date : 7th August.

Damodar Dwadashi

Damodar Dwadashi, or Damodara Dwadasi, is observed on the 12th day of the waxing phase of moon (Shukla Paksha) of Shravan month.It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Donating rice, fruits and clothes to Brahmin priests is considered auspicious on this day. Devotees observe fast on this day and visit lord Vishnu temples.

2016 date : 15^th August.

Vasudeva Dwadashi

Vasudeva Dwadashi is a vrat dedicated to Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna.It falls on the day after Devshayani Ekadashi.

As part of Chaturmas Vrat devotees under go Strict strict penance for the four months of Ashada, Shravan, Bhadrapada and Ashvin can gain tremendous benefits and salvation of the soul. Donating rice, fruits and clothes to Brahmin priests is considered auspicious on this day.

Visiting near by temple,Chanting Vishnu Sahasranama is considered highly auspicious on this day.

2016 Date : 16th July, Saturday.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangapattana

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a beautiful ancient temple located in Srirangapattana which is in the district of Mandya.The place is about fifteen kilometres from the city of Mysore. Sri Ranganatha is Vishnu�s manifestation and thus the town gets its name from here.It is situated on an island on the banks of the Kaveri River.

Pancharanga Shetrams

Sri Ranganathaswamy is a part of famed Pancharanga Shetrams, a group of 5 temples dedicated to Lord Ranganatha on the banks of the River Cauvery. The others that make up this group are Sri Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam, Sarangapani Temple at Kumbakonam, Sri Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple in Thirupper Nagar and Parimala Ranganathar Temple at Thiruindaloor. Legend says that if someone manages to visit all the five temples in a single day, they attain salvation.

Architecture of Temple

The temple has a navaranga mandapam which surrounds the sanctum sanctorum. The principal deity is Sri Ranganatha in the sleeping posture with the Adi Shesha, the serpent with seven heads. Goddess Lakshmi is at Lord Ranganatha�s foot. Goddess Ranganayaki is the principal goddess of this beautiful temple.

It is believed that this temple is a very important Vaishnavite shrine of South India. The temple�s beautiful and exquisite architecture surely takes us way back to the Hoysala rule. The brilliant and beautiful architecture of the Vijayanagar style and the exclusive carvings are indeed a delight to the eyes. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha.

The temple has four strong pillars with twenty four beautifully sculpted Vishnu forms. You can see exclusive Hoysala style of architecture. It is said that the Hoysalas appreciated art and art forms and encouraged the artisans. The intricate work of the artisans is clearly reflected in the architecture of the temple. The entire prakaram of the temple is beautifully painted with mythological stories.

History of Temple

The temple of Sri Ranganatha in Srirangapatna was built in 894 AD by Ganga King Tirumalaiya. Several dynasties of Kings were its patrons and have helped in its upkeep over the years. Prominent among these royal patrons were the Vijayanagara Kings, Hoysalas, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and Wodeyars of Mysore.The credit of building the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple goes to the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire. Later, The Hoysala kings and Hyder Ali made additional expansions to the temple. The Hoysala kings, Mysore Wodeyar kings and the kings of Vijayanagara have contributed a lot towards the expansion of the temple structure.

Other shrines within the temple complex are those of Lord Srinivasa, Sri Krishna, Vaishnava Acharya and Vaishnavite Gurus. This idol is supposed to be the biggest statue of Vishnu in the reclining form. The temple�s main entrance has huge pillars and you can find twenty four different Vishnu forms.

As per mythological studies, river Cauvery on her way forms three big islands. These islands are the Shivanasamudra of Karnataka, Srirangapatna and Srirangam. It is believed that devotees who visit these three temples,all in one day will surely attain salvation. The Kotarothsava festival dedicated to Lord Ranganatha is celebrated with great pomp and splendour. Devotees from faraway places come here to be a part of these ostentatious celebrations. This is the best time to visit the temple.

Timings of Temple

Darshan timings at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple are 07.00 am to 01.30 pm and 04.00 pm to 08.00 pm

Festivals celebrated at Temple

Famous festival celebrated at the Sri Ranganatha temple is adorned with more than a hundred thousand lamps. Devotees take a dip in the Holy Cauvery River and then light up the lamps in the temple.

Many devotees visit the Sri Ranganatha temple from nearby places as well as from Bangalore after purchasing a new car or bike to perform Puja for safe motoring!

The best time to visit is during March and April as Adibrahmotsavam is celebrated with great pomp and show here.

How to get here :

The district of Mandya is about one hundred and twenty five kilometres from Bangalore and fifteen kilometres from Mysore. Devotees can either come by rail, road or air. The closest airport is Bangalore. There are a number of state run buses that ply from Bangalore to Mandya. Tourists may have to do train bookings well in advance as they are full during the season time.

Srirangapatnam is on the way to Bangalore and lies on the Bangalore-Mysore State Highway. The closest railway station is Mysore.

Every Vishnu Follower Must Know These 10 Things About Badrinath

v Badrinath is both a part of Bada Chardham (which are at four corners of India) and also of Chota Chardham (which are within Uttarakhand). There is a local proverb regarding the greatness of Badrinath. The implication of the proverb is that one who viewed Lord Badrinath even once never comes back to the mother�s womb, meaning that the holy view of Lord Badrinath gives Liberation from the Cycle of life and Death. For this reason, the scriptures recommend visiting Badrinath at least once in a lifetime.

v Alakananda River flows by the side of Badrinath as if washing away the holy feet of the Lord. The scriptures mention that in Satyug every organism could have the holy view of Lord Badrinath�s own cosmic image, in Treta Yuga only pious hearts like saints and hermits, and in Dwaparyug when Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, took the mortal form he declared that in the next Yug only the idol could be viewed.

v  The scriptures mention Badrinath dham as the second �Vaikuntha� (the abode of Lord Vishnu). �Ksheer Sagar� (the Milky Ocean) is one Vaikuntha and the other is Badrinath. It is believed that Lord Shiva used to reside here but Lord Vishnu sought this land from him.

v   Chardham Yatra starts from Gangotri from where the turbulent Ganga River emerges and ends at Badrinath. Badrinath is situated in between two mountains � Nar and Narayana. It is believed two hermits named Nar and Narayana, both incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Satyug, meditated here who were born as Arjun and Krishna in Treta Yuga.

v  The second spot of the Chardham Yatra is Yamunotri. There is a temple of River Yamuna here. After that, it isKedarnath and then Badrinath. It is seen that when the door of the last two shrines open, there is a glowing lamp in each which burns for six months. It is believed that the gods light the lamp when no human can stay in the frigid weather.

v  It is believed that the Narasimha Temple in Joshimath has connection with the Badrinath Temple. One of the arms of Narasimha is thinning away slowly but gradually. The day it breaks, local believe that the Nar and Narayan mountains will merge and there will be no view of Lord Badrinath thereafter.

v  There is an interesting story behind the name �Badrinath�. Once, Devi Laxmi got angry with Vishnu and left for her father�s house. Later, pacified when she returned, she saw Lord Vishnu meditating in a forest of �Badri� (jujube berry) trees. Amused, she named him Lord Badrinath.

v This Saraswati Temple is situated at the origin of River Saraswati near Mana Gaon which is situated 3 km from Badrinath. This river flows for a while and then vanishes into Alaknanda River. It is a common belief that one day the present Badrinath will also vanish and reappear at Bhavishya Badri.

v It is a commonly held belief that Lord Shiva was released from the sin of �Brahma-Hatya� (killing of Brahman) at Badrinath. The place is known as �Brahma Kapal� which is actually a high rock pedestal where people pray for their ancestors with the belief that their ancestors will be liberated from the cycle of Life and Death.

v The high priest of Badrinath is from the clan of Adi Shankaracharya. He is called �Rawal�. During his span as a priest, the Rawal cannot marry and has to be celibate. For them, even the touch of women is considered sin.

Importance of Tulsi Plant

All traditional families maintain a 'tulsi' plant at home as it is an integral part of our culture. Well, there are more reasons to have a tulsi at home.

It is a very auspicious symbol. The leaves of tulsi are said to be therapeutic. They contain medicinal properties too. There is one more additional benefit of having tulsi in your backyard. It repels mosquitoes and other small insects.

If you are a person who believes in ghosts and spirits, then rest assured; tulsi repels such negative influences too. In certain parts of India, this plant is considered very sacred and people literally worship it both at home and in temples.

Eat a tulsi leaf every day. It is good for your health and is considered to be medicinal by many. In fact, it comes with anti-microbial properties too.

Tulsi leaves also have the potential to purify your blood. They also keep your skin and hair healthy. As it contains antioxidants and immune boosting compounds, chewing a leaf daily can be a good habit.

Never pluck tulsi leaves on certain days. They include lunar eclipse, ekadashi and Sundays. Also, don't pluck it during the night. It is considered inauspicious. It is auspicious to have a tulsi plant at home. Also, lighting a lamp near it every day is said to attract prosperity and wealth. Many believe that tulsi clears the negative energy at home.

Ekadasi Dates 2017

Ekadasi Vrat is the most auspicious day dedicated to Lord Vishnu.Ekadasi is regarded as one of the most significant vrats observed by the Hindu community. The word Ekadasi has been derived from the Sanskrit term �Ekadasi� which means eleven.

Thus, Ekadasi occurs on the 11th day of every fortnight in a traditional Hindu lunar calendar. As such, there occurs two Ekadasis in every Hindu month, once during the waxing phase of the moon (Shukla Paksha) and the other during the waning phase of the moon (Krishna Paksha). As per the Hindu scriptures, a strict vrat is observed from sunset on the day prior to the Ekadashi until sunrise on the day after Ekadashi, lasting the fasting duration to 48 hours in total. 

Rules for keeping Ekadashi Upvaas:

�         One should not eat any cereals ("Ann" in hindi) like rice, pulses, wheat etc. & salt.

�         If possible, one should stay on water-Drinking luke warm water or lemon-mishri (crystalized sugar) water is very good as it cleanses the hidden undigested food in the body.

�         If one feels hungry, then one can take milk or fruit.

�         Fruit should not be eaten with milk (therefore no strawberry shake, mango shake, chickoo shake etc.).

�         One should not eat food like "sabudana", potato chips, fried food, etc. Also Banana is not recommended on this day since it is heavy to digest.

�         One should think that he/she is keeping this vrat to please God & to progress further in "sadhana".

�         One should observe self-control.

�         One should do more of maun-japa (repeating the name of God in mind) in the day time.

�         One should do more of Dhyan & Bhajan by keeping awake for a longer time in the night.

Ekadasi Dates 2017 :

Date	Day	Ekadashi
08 January	Sunday	Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
09 January	Monday	Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
23 January	Monday	Shattila Ekadashi
07 February	Tuesday	Jaya Ekadashi
22 February	Wednesday	Vijaya Ekadashi
08 March	Wednesday	Amalaki Ekadashi
24 March	Friday	Papmochani Ekadashi
07 April	Friday	Kamada Ekadashi
22 April	Saturday	Varuthini Ekadashi
06 May	Saturday	Mohini Ekadashi
22 May	Monday	Apara Ekadashi
05 June	Monday	Nirjala Ekadashi
20 June	Tuesday	Yogini Ekadashi
04 July	Tuesday	Devshayani Ekadashi
19 July	Wednesday	Kamika Ekadashi
20 July	Thursday	Kamika Ekadashi
03 August	Thursday	Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
18 August	Friday	Aja Ekadashi
02 September	Saturday	Parsva Ekadashi
16 September	Saturday	Indira Ekadashi
01 October	Sunday	Papankusha Ekadashi
15 October	Sunday	Rama Ekadashi
31 October	Tuesday	Devutthana Ekadashi
14 November	Tuesday	Utpanna Ekadashi
30 November	Thursday	Mokshada Ekadashi
13 December	Wednesday	Saphala Ekadashi
29 December	Friday	Pausha Putrada Ekadashi