Nepal Marks Harishayani Ekadashi

Hindu devotees across Nepal are marking Harishayani Ekadashi today by planting sacred Tulsi (holy basil) saplings in household, beginning a four-month period of worship and fasting observed in the Hindu tradition.

The day is believed to mark the start of Lord Bishnu’s symbolic four-month slumber, a sacred period known as Chaturmas, during which devotees offer daily prayers and observe fasting on selected holy days.

Temples dedicated to Bishnu across the country including Budhanilkantha in Kathmandu are witnessing large gatherings of worshippers as the annual observance gets underway.

Tulsi, revered as a symbol of Bishnu and widely valued for its medicinal properties, remains a common feature in Nepali homes.

The observance will conclude on Haribodhini Ekadashi in October or November, when devotees perform a ceremonial marriage between the Tulsi plant and Damodar, a form of Bishnu marking the end of the sacred four-month period.