Pandharpur Temple is located in Solapur, Maharashtra and is of great impotance to Hindus. Ashadi Ekadashi is celebrated there today and pandharpur yatra is on. It is the place where Vitthal-Rukmini’s (Hindu deity) main (original) temple exists. Pandharpur is also known as Pandhari.

Lord Vitthal or Vithoba is supposed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Pandhari holds four ‘Yatras’ every year. One of the Yatra’s is carried on in this period, which is the month of Ashad. Today, July 21, 2010 is Ashadi Ekadashi, which every year is celebrated in the month of Ashad (June-July).

The Yatra in Ashad is usually of 21 days and is also known as Ashadi Ekadashi Waari and Ashadi Ekadashi is the day when the 21 days long Yatra ends.

This year the Yatra began on July 3.

Ashadi Ekadashi is believed to be the day when Lord Vishnu sleeps on his snake ‘Ananta’ for four months and travels all over the Ksheer Sagar sea.

Vithal namachi shala bharali