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2016 Ekadashi fasting days
Ekadashi fasting is observed on every 11th Tithi in Hindu calendar. There are two Ekadashi fasting in a month, one during Shukla Paksha and another during Krishna Paksha. Devotees of Lord Vishnuobserve Ekadashi fasting to seek His blessings.
Ekadashi fasting spans for three days. Devotees take single meal in the afternoon a day before fasting day to make sure there is no residual food in the stomach on next day. Devotees keep strict fast on Ekadashi day and break the fast on next day only after sunrise. Eating of all type of grains and cereals is prohibited during Ekadashi fasting.
Devotees can choose to observe fasting without water, with only water, with only fruits, with one time latex food according to their will and body power. However it should be decided before starting the fast.
06January (Wednesday)Saphala Ekadashi
20January (Wednesday)Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
04February (Thursday)Shattila Ekadashi
18February (Thursday)Jaya Ekadashi
05March (Saturday)Vijaya Ekadashi
19March (Saturday)Amalaki Ekadashi
03April (Sunday)Papmochani Ekadashi
04April (Monday)Gauna Papmochani Ekadashi Vaishnava Papamochani Ekadashi
17April (Sunday)Kamada Ekadashi
03May (Tuesday)Varuthini Ekadashi
17May (Tuesday)Mohini Ekadashi
01June (Wednesday)Apara Ekadashi
16June (Thursday)Nirjala Ekadashi
30June (Thursday)Yogini Ekadashi
01July (Friday)Vaishnava Yogini Ekadashi
15July (Friday)Devshayani Ekadashi
30July (Saturday)Kamika Ekadashi
14August (Sunday)Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
28August (Sunday)Aja Ekadashi
13September (Tuesday)Parsva Ekadashi
26September (Monday)Indira Ekadashi
12October (Wednesday)Papankusha Ekadashi
26October (Wednesday)Rama Ekadashi
11November (Friday)Devutthana Ekadashi
25November (Friday)Utpanna Ekadashi
10December (Saturday)Mokshada Ekadashi
24December (Saturday)Saphala Ekadashi
Akshardham Mandir - Delhi
It is the largest Hindu temple after the Akshardham in Gandhinagar both inspired and developed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct the temple.
The temple, which attracts approximately 70 percent of all tourists who visit Delhi, was officially opened on 6 November 2005 by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. It sits near the banks of the Yamuna adjacent to the 2010 Commonwealth Games village in eastern New Delhi. The temple, at the center of the complex, was built according to the Vastu shastra and Pancharatra shastra.
The complex features an Abhisheka Mandap, Sahaj Anand water show, a thematic garden and three exhibitions namely Sahajanand Darshan (Hall of Values), Neelkanth Darshan (an IMAX film on the early life of Swaminarayan as the teenage yogi, Neelkanth), and Sanskruti Darshan (cultural boat ride). According to Swaminarayan Hinduism, the word Akshardham means the abode of God and believed by followers as a temporal home of God on earth
The main attraction of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is the Akshardham Mandir. It rises 141-foot (43 m) high, spans 316-foot (96 m) wide, and extends 356-foot (109 m) long.It is intricately carved with flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.
Designed in accordance with the standards of Maharishi Vastu Architecture, it features a blend of architectural styles across India. It is entirely constructed from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble. Based on traditional Hindu architectural guidelines (Shilpa shastras) on maximum temple life span, it makes no use of ferrous metal. Thus, it has no support from steel or concrete.
The mandir also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murtis of sadhus, devotees, and acharyas. The mandir also features the Gajendra Pith at its base, a plinth paying tribute to the elephant for its importance in Hindu culture and India's history. It contains 148 life sized elephants in total weighing a total of 3000 tons.
Under the temple's central dome lies the 11-foot (3.4m) high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra to whom the temple is dedicated. Swaminarayan is surrounded by images of the faith's lineage of Gurus depicted either in a devotional posture or in a posture of service. Each murti is made of paanch dhaatu or five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. The temple also houses the murtis of Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan
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