Significance of Phalguna month

Phalguna month is considered as the 12th month in Hindu calendar. Some of the major festivals such as Vijaya Ekadashi, Maha Shivaratri, Holi etc are celebrating in Phalguna month. Vijaya Ekadashi is celebrating to get the blessing of Lord Vishnu. Mahashivaratri is celebrating to worship Lord Shiva. Phalguna Purnima or Holi is celebrated as an important festival in Phalguna month. It is known as "Festival of Colours."

The main significance of Phalguna month is that some of the incidents described in Hindu mythology such as

• Ramayana and Mahabharata happened in this month of Phalguna. The war that happened in Ramayana was started in Phalguna Bahula Padyami.
• Lakshmana and Meghanath war is another major incident that happened in this Phalguna month. It started in Phalguna Bahula Ekadashi and ended in Phalguna Amavasya.'
• In Mahabharata, Dharma Raju or Yudhistra was born on Phalguna Bahula Ashtami.
• Bheemasena was born on Phalguna Suddha Trayodasi.
• Duryodhana, Dushasana and 15 other Kauravas were also born in the month of Phalguna.

Hindu devotees are conducting some of the major Vrata of this month such as Payo Vrata, Ganesh Vrata, Amalaki Ekadashi, Govinda Ekadashi etc. A pooja is conducted from Sukla Padyami to Dwadasi for twelve days for Lord Vishnu and this ritual is equal to 12 months worshipping Lord Vishnu. This ritual is known as Payo Vrata.

The story behind Payo Vrata is that one day Aditi Devi prayed and observed twelve days Vrata as part of devoting Lord Vishnu to help her son against Mahabali. During that time, devotees should take only milk as food. Devotees are worshipping Dundi Vinayaka at the time of Ganesh Vrata. It is worshipping for 2 separate days of this month as Avigna Vrata on Shukla Padyami and Putra Ganapati Vrata on Shukla Chaturthi. During the time of Amala Ekadashi, devotees are worshipping Amalaki or Amla trees. To seek liberation and to get rid off from the sins, people can practise fasting on this Ekadashi. On the next day of Amalaki Ekadashi, Govinda Dwadashi is celebrated. Devotees are bathing in the river to pray to Lord Vishnu.

During Shukla Paksha in Phalguna month is observed Phalguna Purnima. On this day devotees are conducting Lakshmi Jayanti in some of the places on this month. Lakshmi Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Goddess Lakshmi. The rituals of Phalguna Purnima starts from the holy bath in the sacred river in the early morning. After that, devotees worship Lord Vishnu through Vishnu Pooja. Then Gayatri mantra and Satya Narayana Katha is reciting. After that devotees are chanting Om Namo Narayana 1008 times. On this auspicious day, people donate food, clothes and money for the people who need this.