Rangbhari Ekadasi and Masane ki Holi in Kashi

Ahead of the Holi festival, to be celebrated on March 18, the devotees of Lord Shiva in Kashi played the festival of colour with the deity amid religious fervour on the occasion of Rangbhari Ekadashi' on Monday.

As per the mythology, Lord Shiva, after marrying Goddess Parvati on the day of Maha Shivratri, comes to his permanent abode Kashi on 'Falgun Shukla Ekadashi' for 'gauna'. In Kashi, this day is celebrated as Rangbhari Ekadasi. It is believed that Lord Shiva celebrated Holi with his devotees at Kashi Vishwanath temple on the occasion of his 'gauna' as he comes to kashi on the day of Rangbhari Ekadasi with Goddess Parvati.

On the account of the Rangbhari Ekadasi celebration, the city plungee into Holi festivity. Maintaining the tradition several devotees took part in the celebration hurling gulal and rose petals on Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. A procession carrying the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in a 'Palki' was taken out from the house of the former mahant of Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the occasion.

Fully covered in Colours, playing shankh, damru, and other musical instruments, the devotees went to the sanctum sanctrum of Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offered gulal and rose petals to the presiding deity of Kashi.

Besides, the city also witnessed another unique Holi celebration -'Masane ki Holi' at the Harishchandra Ghat. The event was organised by the Kashi Moksha Dayini Seva Samiti. A Shobha yatra of Baba Mashan Nath was carried out from Baba Kinaram Sthal to Harishchandra Ghat, where devotees played Holi with the pyre ashes.

However, traiditionally the Masane ki Holi is Celebrated around the burning pyres at the main cremation ground at Manikarnika Ghat a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi. "Since his beloved ethereal 'ganas' like ghosts do not get a chance to celebrated Holi with Lord Shiva on Rangbhari Ekadashi day.

The deity himself comes to the cremation ground to play 'Holi of pyre ashes with them on the very next day,' said the organizer Gulshan Kapoor, adding that the 'Chita Bhasma Holi at the Manikarnika Ghat will be held on Tuesday.

In the Next blog. I will write about Best Street Food in Kashi.

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