Dwadashi
Dwadashi (also Dvādaśi or Dwadasi) (Sanskrit for Twelve) is the twelfth lunar day (Tithi) of the shukla (bright) or krishna (dark) fortnight, or Paksha, of every lunar month in the Hindu calendar.
Dwadashi is especially suitable for the worship of the sacred Tulasi tree (Tulasi stava of srishti khanda of Padma Purana), much like Ekadashi is especially suitable for the worship of Vishnu. In fact, the Ekadashi fast is a three-day fast, starting on Dashami and concluding on Dwadashi. The saint poet Annamacharya died on Phalguna Bahula (Krishna) Dwadasi (12th day after full moon) in the year Dhundhubhi, on 4 April 1503 after living for 95 years.
Celebrations on Dwadashi
Dwadashi Tithis have various other religious observances through out the year. Kurma Dwadashi is dedicated to the worship of Kurma, the second Avatar of Vishnu. Govinda Dwadashi or Narasimha Dwadashi, which falls in the month of Phalguna celebrates the Narasimha Avatar of Vishnu, before Holi. Rama Lakshmana Dwadashi is important for begetting a son, who is considered as important, to Moksha or salvation; in Hinduism. King Dasharatha had observed the Rama Lakshmana Dwadashi to beget God Rama as his son. Jagannath Temple of Puri has special celebrations on this Dwadashi for Utkala Brahmins.[1] Govatsa Dwadashi is the first day of celebrations on Diwali, on which cows are worshiped as symbolic to mothers; nourishing mankind, and being the chief means of livelihood and religious sanctity in rural India.[2] As also this day is celebrated, as; Sripada Vallabha Aradhana Utsav of Sripada Sri Vallabha, at Pithapuram Datta Mahasamsthan in the state of Andhra Pradesh.[3]