Devotees throng temples to observe Tholi Ekadasi in Vijayawada

Devotees celebrate Tholi Ekadasi with prayers to Lord Vishnu, marking the start of Chaturmasya in the Telugu calendar.

The temples in the region were abuzz with devotees offering special prayers to Lord Vishnu on the occasion of ‘Tholi Ekadasi’, on Wednesday.

Also known as ‘Sayana Ekadasi’, the day was observed with religious fervour in the city and other parts of the Kirshna, NTR and Eluru districts.

The rituals began at 3 a.m. when people, of all ages, in large numbers, thronged bathing ghats of the Krishna to take a holy dip and visited the temples nearby.

The temples’ management made elaborate arrangements for the darshan. 

‘Tholi Ekadasi’ (first Ekadasi) which marks the beginning of the Chaturmasya, is considered the most auspicious day in the month of Ashadam. 

It is believed that Lord Maha Vishnu will be in ‘yoga nidra’, the celestial sleep mode, for four months between the Ashadam and Karteekam months, as per the Telugu calendar and the sun begins to move southward from Toli Ekadasi.

This period is known as Chaturmasya and is observed with special rituals. It’s a time for introspection, reflection, and a conscious shift in daily routines, say Vedic scholars.