This is the day of the huge "yatra" or pilgrimages to the god Vithoba of Pandharpur, a town in south Maharashtra, situated on the banks of the Bhima River, a tributary of the Krishna River.
    This Mahaekadashi is also known as Shayani Ekadashi, because on this day Vishnu falls asleep to wake up four months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi in the Kartik month. This period is known as Chaturmas and coincides with the rainy season.