New Delhi: Ekadashis are very important days in the Hindu religion. Among the 24 Ekadashis in the annual Hindu calendar, the Nirajala Ekadashi is the most significant. This day falls during the Shukla Paksha in the Jyeshtha month and coincides with the months of May or June in the Gregorian calendar. Nirajala Ekadashi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Ekadashi means the eleventh day of a fortnight.


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This year, Nirajala Ekadashi will be celebrated on June 2. According to drikpanchang.com, the Ekadashi tithi will begin on June 1 at 2.57 pm and will end on June 2 at 12.04 pm.


Devotees generally fast on all the 24 Ekadashis or some consume only vrat food. However, as the name suggests, on this day, people observing fast do not consume a drop of water. Nirjala literally means ‘without water’. And those who are not in a position to fast during the rest of the Ekadashis, can observe vrat on this day.


The Nirjala Ekadashi is also known as Bheemaseni Ekadashi, named after Bheema of the Mahabharata. The second son of Kunti and King Pandu, Bheema loved to eat. He could never observe fast and control his hunger. Miffed with himself for disrespecting Lord Vishnu, Bheema met Maharishi Vyasa to seek a solution to this problem. And after meeting the sage, Bheema started observing Nirjala Ekadashi. He was told that by fasting on this date, he would derive the benefits of all the other Ekadashis.