Festivals Via Feminist Lens: Shatilla Ekadashi Teaches Us Equality And Social Service

Shatilla Ekadashi or Tilda Ekadashi is celebrated during the Krishna paksha of Pausha month of the Hindu Calander. Etymologically ‘Til’ means sesame seeds while 'da' means donating; hence the Hindu Vrat of Tilda Ekadashi is significant for eating and donating Sesame seeds. On this day, the devotees worship Lord Krishna and Vishnu.

How is it celebrated?

Shatilla Ekadashi is celebrated by consuming and donating sesame seeds and observing a day-long fast. On this day, it is said that people not only eat and donate sesame seeds but also bathe with the paste of it. Moreover, along with the fast, the devotees worship the idols of Lord Vishnu and Krishna, offer fruits, flowers and sesame seeds. They also chant mantras of Lord Vishnu and Krishna throughout the day.

The celebration of Shatilla Ekadashi is incomplete without performing a charity. Devotees donate food, sesame seeds and clothes to poor people in order to seek blessings from God. It is said that people who observe the Shatilla Ekadashi Vrat and donate food on this day will never fall short of food and prosperity at home.

Also Read: Devutthana Ekadashi: Understanding Tulsi Vivah From Feminist Perspective

The story behind Shatilla Ekadashi

Once there lived a rich old lady who donated all her wealth in a charity. However, she never donated food which is considered as the most significant part of any charity or good deed. So, Lord Krishna decided to teach her lesson and came to her house in the disguise of a beggar. When the beggar asked the lady for some food, she denied and sent him away by dropping a ball of clay in his begging bowl. When the lady went back to her house, she was shocked to see that all the food materials in her house turned into clay. Even when she bought food to eat, it turned into clay. As a result, she starved for so many days which deteriorated her health. Then, one night Lord Krishna appeared in her dream and asked her to donate food to the poor and observe Shatilla Ekadashi Vrat to get rid of this pain. The old lady did the same and was relieved of the curse.

Watching from the feminist lens

The festival is a reminder that performing charity and social service is the duty of every human. It is a significant festival that rises above the gender biases of society and inculcates the idea of empowering the weak and social reformation. The long-standing patriarchal institutions have rendered women and lower caste people as the most disadvantaged groups of the society. Yes, there is a need for activism with bottom to top approach. But it is equally important for the people placed at the top to realise their duties of humanity towards society. We need to remember that every human is inherently good and equal to each other; it is the corrupt society that breeds poverty and evil. So rather than obsessing over and being proud of privileges, humans must come together to support and uplift the oppressed.  And this idea of social service is what Shatilla Ekadashi emphasises every year.

If every human could imbibe these values and use their privilege to educate and empower the underprivileged, we can make the dream of a society without hierarchies come true.

Also Read: How Goddess Durga Pushes Us To Break free from Binaries