Kamada Ekadashi Envisions Feminist Love Story And Society

Kamada Ekadashi is celebrated during the Shukla Paksha of the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar. Etymologically, Kamada means the one who grants all the desires while Ekadashi means the eleventh day of the month. This Ekadashi is considered as the first Ekadashi of the year as the new year of the Hindu calendar begins on the day of Chaitra Navratri. On this day, devotees worship Lord Krishna.

How it is celebrated:

Hindu devotees observe 24 hours fast on this day. The fast starts a day before, on Dashmi, and ends on the night of Ekadashi. Moreover, on this day, people should not consume wheat, moong dal, barley etc. Devotees often recite Satnarayan Katha and conduct other rituals to celebrate this day and worship Lord Krishna. Devotees believe that those who observe this fast can get all their desires and wishes fulfilled.

Did You Know: The story behind Kamada Ekadashi reinforces the ideologies that women are mere distractions, curse or impurity in the lives of accomplished men.

The story behind Kamada Ekadashi

The legend that is popularly associated with Kamada Ekadashi is that of singer Lalit and his wife Lalitha. According to the legend, Lalit was a renowned singer who used to perform with his wife at the court of King Pundarika in Ratnapura. Lalit was a Gandharva while his wife Lalitha was an apsara. Once, Lalit had to give a solo performance at the court. But he loved his wife so much that he missed her during the performance. His longing for his wife affected his performance and he ended up making many mistakes that enraged the king. Consequently, the king cursed him to turn into an ugly demon for being overwhelmed by love for a woman.

The king thought that Lalitha would leave his husband as he became an ugly demon and Lalit would pine for his love throughout his life. But, on the contrary, Lalitha went to King and strongly claimed that she will never forsake her husband. The couple even sought for the solutions together to get rid of the curse. The solution that worked for them was observing the Kamada Ekadashi vrat after which Lalit returned to his original human form.

Watching from the Feminist Lens

The story behind Kamada Ekadashi reinforces the ideologies that women are mere distractions, curse or impurity in the lives of accomplished men. However, it also brings forth a feminist love story that defies all the conventions about women and love.

Here we come across a man who loves his wife dearly despite the prominent belief that women distract men from their aims in life. We also meet a strong-willed woman who loves her husband even though he turns into a demon and supports him till the end when he finally regains his original form.

It is this relationship based on love and equality that is needed to break down all the stereotypes that the society imposes on women and men. Kamada Ekadashi is indeed a festival that fulfils all the wishes of people and makes it possible for us to imagine and create a society that is detached from patriarchal stereotypes and oppression.

This year, Kamada Ekadashi will be celebrated on Friday, April 23, 2021. Find the days and dates of all the Hindu vrats and festivals in the year 2021 here.

Views expressed are the author's own.