Sun Oct 27 22:59:17 UTC 2024: ## Pushkar Gears Up for Rama Ekadashi Celebrations
**Pushkar:** Rama Ekadashi, a significant religious day falling on the eleventh lunar day of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the Kartik month, is set to be celebrated with special religious rituals in Pushkar on Monday.
The Pushkar Sarovar (lake) will be the focal point of the celebrations, with devotees taking holy dips in the sacred water. The day holds immense religious significance, and a grand Maha Aarti will be conducted at the Badri Ghat in the evening.
According to Inder Singh Panwar, spokesperson of the Pushkar administration, the Maha Aarti will be performed by Tith Purhohit Shashank Parashar. The ceremony will be preceded by a series of rituals including worship of the Sarovar, milk offering, and other traditional practices. Renowned singer Pt. Rampal Kala will grace the occasion with a musical rendition of devotional hymns.
Furthermore, a procession of Lord Venugopal will be carried out in the old Rangji Temple, following the South Indian style, at 7 pm.
**Iskcon Celebrates Pre-Rama Ekadashi in Ajmer:**
Meanwhile, on Sunday, ahead of Rama Ekadashi, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) organized a Dipa Daan (offering of lamps) and Harinam Sankirtan (chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna) at the Bajranggarh Chowk in Ajmer. The devotees recited the Damodar Ashtakam, as mentioned in the Padma Purana, and encouraged passersby to participate in the offering of lamps. Halwa Prasad was distributed to all.
Chaitanya Charan Prabhu, the director of Iskcon Ajmer, highlighted the special significance of the Kartik month, emphasizing its revered status amongst all months, just as Satyuga is considered the best among all yugas and Ganga is the most revered among all rivers. He further explained that the Kartik month holds immense significance for devotees of Lord Krishna, and offering lamps to Lord Damodar during this time brings great blessings. The Skanda Purana, Narad Purana, and Padma Purana all extol the virtues of offering lamps to Krishna with love and devotion in the Kartik month.
This special program has been organized by Iskcon for the past four years.
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