Rangbhari Ekadashi heraldsHoli festivities in Varanasi

Varanasi: With the traditional celebration of Rangbhari Ekadashi on Friday, Kashi, the city of Lord Shiva, plunged into Holi spirit. Amid the offering of gulal and rose petals to Lord Shiva, the devotees carried out a procession with the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in a ‘palaki’ from the house of former mahant to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The festival is believed to be the beginning of Holi celebrations in the holy city.
Local residents led by Bahadur Chowdhary and Pawan Chowdhary also celebrated the Holi with pyre ashes at Harishchandra ghat on the occasion of Rangbhari Ekadasi. People sprayed pyre ashes on one another to celebrate the occasion. However, the Chita Bhashm (pyre ashes) Holi at Manikarnika Ghat will be celebrated on Saturday, a day after the Rangbhari Ekadashi.
According to the mythology, Lord Shiva after marrying Goddess Parvati on Maha Shivratri came to Kashi on Falgun Shukla Ekadashi. This day is celebrated as Rangbhari Ekadashi ahead of Holi festival.
Completely drenched in dry colour and playing shankh, damru, and other musical instruments, the devotees went to the sanctum sanctorum of Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offered gulal and rose petals to the deities. A grand Nishan Shobhayatra was also taken out by Shri Shyam Mandal on the occasion of Rangbhari Ekadashi. The aarti was performed by Sanjay Pujari after worshiping the Nishan flag. It was followed by the Shobha Yatra.