Harishayani Ekadashi being observed today

KATHMANDU: Harishayani Ekadashi is being observed today in Nepal.

Hindu devotees across the country are celebrating this festival, which marks the beginning of the four-month holy period known as Chaturmas.

During this time, devotees fast and worship Lord Vishnu, one of the prominent Hindu deities revered as the protector of the universe.

Ekadashi falls on the eleventh lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Asar.

Rituals include worshipping Lord Vishnu, reciting holy scriptures related to him, and chanting Vishnu-oriented hymns.

On Harishayani Ekadashi, Hindus traditionally plant Tulasi (basil plant or Ocimum tenuiflorum) in their yards, which they worship as a form of Lord Vishnu for the next four months until Haribodhini Ekadashi concludes Chaturmas.

It is believed that by worshipping the sacred basil plant, Lord Vishnu grants devotees their wishes.

Chaturmas spans from the 11th day of the waxing moon in the month of Ashadh (Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi) to the 11th day of the waxing moon in the month of Kartik (Kartik Shukla Ekadashi), considered a highly auspicious period for Vishnu worship.

In the lunar calendar, there are a total of 24 Ekadashis in a year, with Harishayani Ekadashi and Prabodhini Ekadashi being among the most significant.

Devotees observe fasting on Harishayani Ekadashi and visit temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his incarnations.