Parsava Parivartini Ekadasi is one among the numerous names of the Ekadashi fasting observed on the 11th day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Bhadrapad month (August – September). Parsava Parivartini Ekadasi 2015 date is September 24. It is called Parsava Parivartini because Lord Vishnu who is sleeping during theDakshinayana period turns from left side to right side. This Ekadasi is also known as Jayanti Ekadashi.

Bhadrapad or Bhadra month falls during the Dakshinayana Punyakala and is also the second month in during theChatur Mas period. Popular belief is that the period of Dakshinayana is the night time of Gods. Lord Vishnu is believed to be sleeping during the period.

The Vamana Avatar of Lord Vishnu is believed to have appeared on this day. This Ekadasi is also therefore known as Vaman Ekadasi.

In Gujarat, Parsava Parivartini Ekadasi is observed as Jal Zilani Ekadasi.

Those observe partial Ekadasi fasting on the day as usual skip food items made of grains and rice. Some people opt for complete fast.

Source – http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/08/parsava-parivartini-ekadasi-2009.html

Just as eating and serving something sweet makes your taste buds feel sweetness, and for a while after, you remain happy, become sweet-natured yourself so that words filled with sweetness are constantly spoken. Such sweet words make both you and others happy. Use this method to always sweeten everyone’s mouth; constantly maintain sweet attitude, sweet words and sweet actions.

Meditation is the process of getting to know yourself completely, both who you are inside and how you react to what is outside. Above all, meditation is enjoying yourself in the literal sense of the word. Through meditation, you discover a very different “me” from perhaps the stressed or troubled person, who may seem superficially to be “me”. You realize that your true nature, the real you, is actually very positive. You begin to discover an ocean of peace right on your doorstep.

I magine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with £86,400. Every evening whatever part of the balance you fail to use during the day is deleted. What would you do? Draw out every penny and use it well, of course!!! Each of us has such a bank – Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Invest the day’s deposits well, or the loss is yours. How could you bring the most contentment, happiness and benefit to yourself and others? The clock is running.

The end of the monsoon brings round one of Mumbai’s most beloved festivals – Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles. Observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September), it lasts for 10 days, ending on the tenth day which is called Ananta Chaturdashi.

This year, it all begins on September 17th 2015 when Ganesha idols are brought home and installed with great ceremony (sthapna) on a decorated platform. The idol is offered pure water along with libations such as honey and milk.

A puja is performed twice a day until the idol leaves the home. This could happen on the 2nd, 5th, 7th or last day. On this day, the uttarpuja ritual (a sort of farewell) is performed, after which visarjan takes place i.e. the idol is submerged in the sea, river or even a token dip in a bucket (depending on where in the world you are). The final visarjan day sees Mumbai criss-crossed by throngs of worshippers trailing their idols to the shore. It is customary to bring home a smidgen of sand and the paat on which the murti rested before visarjan. Kept at home for a day or two, they serve as panacea for the emptiness brought on by Ganpati’s departure.

Mumbai Mania

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across Indian homes but it is frenetic Mumbai that infuses it with the greatest community fervour. This is all thanks to the ceaseless efforts of Lokmanya Tilak who rightly believed that it would help to bring Indians together, during the freedom struggle. For ten days, the city is sprinkled with majestic Ganpati pandals. Perhaps the biggest is Mumbai’s favourite Lalbaugcha Raja, who presides nonchalantly over an ocean of nearly a million visitors. The 12-foot tall Raja raises crores of rupees each year, and (like most of the other pandals) much of it is filtered back into the community through initiatives such as health camps, scholarships and hospitals. Similarly, almost every locality has its own pandal, ringing with the tintinnabulation of bells and bhajans through the day.

As the world keeps turning, Ganesha idols keep evolving. This year, you will spot a selfie-taking Ganesha, a Bahubali – inspired Ganesha with bulging biceps and plenty of environmentally-friendly Ganeshas (for example, Thane’s Viviana mall has a papier-mâché one and fish-friendly ones are being made by an NGO called Sprouts). Navi Mumbai even has a Ganpati swathed in the colours of the Brazilian football team.

Celebrations Across India

In Mumbai’s satellite city, Pune, a clutch of pandals and temples celebrate the festival, the most famous being the Dagdu Sheth temple. Ganpatiphule’s Swayambhu temple is another excellent place for Ganesha darshan.

Maharashtra’s enthusiasm has recently seeped into Kolkata. A bouquet of pandals bloom across the city. Homes are decorated with alpona (a sort of rangoli made with rice-flour) and Narkel Narus (coconut and sugar sweetmeats) are distributed amongst friends and neighbours. Hidden away in the hinterlands of West Bengal too are plenty of Ganesha devotees. For instance, Hubli Dharwad in West Bengal has erected a 21 foot idol, thanks to the Dajiban Peth Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Maha Mandal.

And it’s not restricted to Bengal. Ganpati’s so popular in Jharkhand that decorators are invited from Bengal for the perfect pandal. Jaipur’s Mutt Doongari temple sees a slew of devotees, anxious to view the temple’s famous modak tableau. And Hyderabad has one of the world’s largest idols.

Food Tales

Ganesh Chaturthi is a pretty wonderful time for epicureans. It’s modakseason, Ganpati’s favourite sweet dumpling that has graced the plates of Maharashtrians for centuries. Popularly known as ukdiche modak, these rice flour dumplings are traditionally stuffed with coconut and jaggery and eaten warm with pure ghee. Sometimes, the modak is steamed with fragrant turmeric leaves. Today though, the modak has evolved into hybrid forms – infused with strawberry and chocolate; healthy baked modak and sugar-free ones are now available everywhere.

“Apart from modak, nivagrya are typically made on Ganpati day. Nivagrya are little savoury, steamed dumplings made from leftover “ukad” (rice flour dough) that was made for the modak casing. The leftover dough is mixed with cumin seed powder, coarse green chilly paste, salt, and other flavorings, flattened, and steamed. These are eaten with peanut oil and are quite a delicacy,” says Saee Koranne-Khandekar, blogger, writer and food consultant.

“The Naivedya thali does not contain the pinch of salt on the side as other traditional thalis do. There is a small serving of kheer (usually made of gavhle, the Maharashtrian equivalent of orzo or vermicelli), puran (the stuff that goes inside a puran poli), chutney, pickle, koshimbir, a kothimbir dadi/alu vadi/batata vada, a dry vegetable, a gravy vegetable and/or sprouts, a dal or kadhi, plain rice with plain toor dal (varan bhaat), masala bhaat, and dahi bhaat. Ladoos made of besan are also considered a traditional specialty,” she clarifies. And after all the celebrations, the festivities end with a whisper. “On the last day, after an overload of festivities, we pack off Ganpati bappa with a light meal of dahi bhaat or dahi pohe,” she smiles.

 

Article from http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/ganesh-chaturthi-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-its-significance-rituals-1218317

 

Determination is the strength that will enable you to pass the barrier of useless thoughts in order to create positive thoughts and to be successful in whatever you wish. It comes from within and its partner is patience. Patience teaches you not to push but rather to wait and appreciate the game of life instead, knowing that nothing remains the same, and everything will change at some point.

Forget mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.

To be peaceful is to be free from expectations and to want nothing from anyone.

Fill your mind with peace and good feelings and your mind will give that experience in return. Whatever you are experiencing in your mind now is what you put there earlier on.

Become lost in God’s love and you will forget this world of sorrow.