Varanasi: ‘Rangbhari Ekadashi’, one of the myriad hues of Kashi, plunges one and all into an ocean of joy offering an opportunity to play Holi with Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of the city, just ahead of Holi on Thursday (March 5, 2020).
Amid the shower of gulal (dry colour) and flower petals, the devotees joined Lord Shiva’s ‘gauna’ (taking bride to home after marriage) ceremony with religious fervor. The narrow lane of Vishwanath Gali turned into a jam-packed trail of colours echoed with cheerful.
With the traditional celebration of Rangbhari Ekadashi the city plunged into Holi spirit. After offering gulal and flower petals to Lord Shiva the devotees carried out a procession with the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in a ‘palaki’ from the residence house of former mahant of Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kulpati Tiwari.
In Kashi Rangbhari Ekadashi is believed to be the beginning of Holi celebrations. Completely drenched in dry colour and playing damru, the devotees go to the sanctum sanctorum of Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offered gulal and rose petals to the deities.
Mythology says that Lord Shiva after marrying Goddess Parvati on Maha Shivratri came to Kashi on Falgun Shukla Ekadashi popularly known as Rangbhari Ekadashi.
