Vaikuntha Chaturdashi

Vaikunta Chaturdasi is observed on the 14^th day of the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of moon in Kartik Month.On this day both lord vishnu and shiva are worshipped.It is mostly observed in Maharashtra.

Rituals :

Devotees start the pujas after taking baths, fasting for the whole day, and offering akshat, sandalwood  paste, sacred water of the Ganges, flowers, incense and camphor to both the deities. Then they offer lighted deeps (earthen lamps) and batti cotton wick as a special offering for the day.

 Devotees will read Vishnu sahasranama on this day,In some places it is celebrated as Kartik snan.In Rishikesh, this day is observed as Deep Daan Mahotsav to mark the occasion of Vishnu waking up, out of his deep sleep.  The lighted lamps are floated in the holy Ganges River in the evening. Grishneshwar temple of Shiva, Vishnu is offered Bael leaves and Shiva is offered Tulsi leaves. Vishnu is given special place in kashi viswanath temple.Today this temple is called as Vaikuntha.

Legends :

Once, the god Vishnu, the Lord of Vaikuntha, left his abode Vaikuntha and went to Varanasi to worship the god Shiva on this day. He pledged to worship Shiva with a thousand lotuses. While singing hymns to Shiva, Vishnu finds the thousandth lotus missing. Vishnu, whose eyes are often compared to lotuses, plucks one of them and offers it to Shiva. A pleased Shiva restores Vishnu's eye and rewards him the Sudarshana chakra, Vishnu's discus and sacred weapon.

2016 Date : 13^th November, Sunday.