▁obser ving ▁N ir j ala ▁Ek ad ashi . ▁ ▁Pract ices ▁While ▁on ▁other ▁ek ad ash is ▁ab st in ence ▁of ▁food ▁is ▁observed , ▁on ▁N ir j ala ▁Ek ad ashi , ▁an ▁absolute ▁fast ▁is ▁observed , ▁without ▁part aking ▁even ▁water . ▁The ▁water - less ▁fast ▁is ▁considered ▁extremely ▁difficult ▁to ▁follow ▁as ▁the ▁day ▁falls ▁in ▁the ▁hot ▁Indian ▁summer ▁and ▁thus , ▁it ▁is ▁de emed ▁as ▁very ▁p ious ▁a uster ity . ▁The ▁fast ▁is ▁observed ▁ 2 4 ▁hours ▁from ▁sun r ise ▁on ▁N ir j ala ▁Ek ad ashi ▁to ▁sun r ise ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁Some ▁observe ▁it ▁from ▁sun r ise ▁to ▁sun set . ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁before ▁N ir j ala ▁Ek ad ashi , ▁the ▁dev ote e ▁performs ▁the ▁evening ▁prayer ▁( S and hy av and an am ) ▁and ▁takes ▁only ▁one ▁me al , ▁without ▁rice ▁- ▁as ▁rice ▁e ating ▁is ▁prohib ited . ▁The ▁dev ote e ▁is ▁however ▁permitted ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁single ▁tiny ▁drop ▁of ▁water ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Ach am ana ▁pur ification ▁rit ual . ▁Water ▁more ▁than ▁that ▁equals ▁breaking ▁the ▁v ow . ▁ ▁Like ▁other ▁ek ad ash is , ▁pu ja ▁is ▁offered ▁to ▁V ish nu , ▁for ▁whom ▁ek ad ash is ▁are ▁sacred , ▁to ▁seek ▁his ▁grace . ▁An ▁image ▁of ▁V ish nu ▁or ▁a ▁Sal ig rama ▁stone ▁( an