Dhanur Month/Vaikunt Ekadeshi

Dhanur month is also known as Margasheesh. This month is described by poets beautifully as the mornings have mist, dew drops on the leaves, cool breeze and the sun rise. all the thirty days temples are opened by 5 in the morning . pooja is conducted early. young or old, take bath and visit the temples .
The shukla ekadeshi of this month is celebrated as Vaikunt Ekadeshi or Mokshada Ekadeshi. It is believed that by observing vrath not only us but our ancestors and future generations also get moksha. This vrath purifies our soul. People get up early 3 clock, have bath and go to temple. Abshikekam is held and themoorthi is brought to the main entrance and kept in a raised swing. This is known as Swarg Vasal(the gate to heaven). People go under the swing and do parikrama 3 times. People observe fast and stay awake throughout the night and worship Lord Vishnu.
This is the day Krishna recited Baghwat Gita to Arjun. The battle field was ready but Arjun refused to fight against his elders who were on the other side. Lord Krishna advised Arjun to observe kshatriya dharma, by fighing againt Kauravas. He preached Arjun about Karmayog, Bakthiyog and gynayog. This is popularly known as Baghwat Gita. Listening to Gita Arjun became firm and fought against the Kauravas.and on the battle .
A king in his dream saw his Father suffering in Narak. He observed this vrath and his Father reached heaven.
In south India Hanuman Jayanthi is celebrated on amavasya of this month. People read Sundarakandam and Ramayan. Hanuman is a strong devotee of Lord Rama.he is the sun of kesari and anjana. they did tapasya for child. agastya rishi blessed them. as vayu's amsharoop hanuman was born. so he is called vayu putra also.
he is a strong ram bakth.
another story goes like this. in skandapurana egoistic, ravana went to kailash , there he teased nandi. nandi got angry and he cursed ravana that a human who is very strong in all ways, with the help of a monkey's will kill you. after rama was born, rudra,one of the eleven forms of lord shiva, took birth as hanuman.
there are several stories that talks about the mighty acts of hanuman as a child.one such. one day when he was feeling hungry early in the morning, he saw red colour raising sun. he thought that to be a fruit and jumped to take it. that day was rahu eclipse. rahu was also going to catch the sun. but when rahu saw the mighty figure coming in between him and sun, he got scared and went and complaint to lord indira saying one more rahu is coming to eat me. immediately indira went there and hit hanuman with vajra ayuda. hanuman got hurt in his chin and we started falling down to earth. immediately, vayu came and protected the child from falling. he got angry with indira and stopped blowing air in the world. no body could breath. brahma came to vayu and cured hanuman and blessed him to be chiranjeevi.vayu was plesed and he released air.hanu means chin. his chin became twisted so he is called hanuman.
strong and aggressive hanuman is known for his shrewdness also.that is why we pray him to bless us with.BAL BHUDI VIDYA DEHU MOHI KARAHU KALESE VIKAR.
in valmiki ramanayana hero is shri rama , but it revolves round hanuman .
RAM SUGREEV MAITRI, PROTECTED SUGREEV FROM LAKSHMAN'S ANGER, CROSSING THE OCEAN, FINDING SITA, FIRE IN LANKA, PROVED HIS ABILITY IN THE RAM RAVAN WAR, BRINGING SANJEEVINI HILL TO PROTECT LAKSHMAN, all this could happen because of hanuman.
after the pattabishek, ram gave cloth, jewellry and precious gems as gift to everybody. he gave sita also a beautiful necklace. she gave that to hanuman as a gift. hanuman analysed the necklace, removed the gems. lakshman and others asked the reason for doing so. he said no where RAM is written or is photo is there, then how it is precious. then they said is word RAM or is picture inscribed in you somewhere?
immediately with finger nails he cut open his heart. In his heart were sri ram and sita.
hanuman chalisa by Tulsidas is very popular, the versus of which is so simple it is recited by the children also.