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Ekadashi Dates and Timings 2026

Sacred fasting days dedicated to Lord Vishnu

24 Sacred Days
Precise Timings
New Delhi
Next:Putrada Ekadashi on August 23 in New Delhi
2025
Year
2026
2027
Next:Putrada Ekadashi on August 23 in New Delhi

2026 Ekadashi Calendar

Timings calculated for New Delhi

Shattila Ekadashi

Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 03:19 PM

Magha, Krishna paksha

Shattila Ekadashi brings prosperity and abundance. It helps overcome financial difficulties and brings both material and spiritual well-being.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Tue, Jan 13, 2026, 03:19 PM
End:Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 05:53 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jan 14, 2026
Vaishnava: Jan 14, 2026

Jaya Ekadashi

Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 04:37 PM

Magha, Shukla paksha

Jaya Ekadashi brings victory over challenges and difficulties. It helps overcome obstacles and brings success in righteous activities.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Wed, Jan 28, 2026, 04:37 PM
End:Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 01:56 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jan 29, 2026
Vaishnava: Jan 29, 2026

Vijaya Ekadashi

Fri, Feb 13, 2026, 12:23 PM

Phalguna, Krishna paksha

Vijaya Ekadashi brings victory and success in life. It helps overcome obstacles and brings prosperity and fulfillment of righteous desires.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Thu, Feb 12, 2026, 12:23 PM
End:Fri, Feb 13, 2026, 02:27 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Feb 13, 2026
Vaishnava: Feb 13, 2026

Amalaki Ekadashi

Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 12:34 AM

Phalguna, Shukla paksha

Amalaki Ekadashi is dedicated to the sacred Amalaki tree and Lord Vishnu. It brings good health, long life, and helps overcome health challenges. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 12:34 AM
End:Fri, Feb 27, 2026, 10:33 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Feb 27, 2026
Vaishnava: Feb 28, 2026

Papamochani Ekadashi

Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 08:12 AM

Chaitra, Krishna paksha

Papamochani Ekadashi helps cleanse the soul and brings spiritual freedom. It is a powerful day for letting go of past mistakes and starting fresh.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sat, Mar 14, 2026, 08:12 AM
End:Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 09:17 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Mar 15, 2026
Vaishnava: Mar 15, 2026

Kamada Ekadashi

Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 08:46 AM

Chaitra, Shukla paksha

Kamada Ekadashi brings happiness and spiritual growth. This sacred day helps remove negative influences and brings peace and prosperity to devotees.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sat, Mar 28, 2026, 08:46 AM
End:Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 07:47 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Mar 29, 2026
Vaishnava: Mar 29, 2026

Varuthini Ekadashi

Mon, Apr 13, 2026, 01:18 AM

Vaishakha, Krishna paksha

Varuthini Ekadashi provides protection and strength. It helps overcome fears and challenges, bringing courage and safety in life's journey. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Mon, Apr 13, 2026, 01:18 AM
End:Tue, Apr 14, 2026, 01:09 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Apr 13, 2026
Vaishnava: Apr 14, 2026

Mohini Ekadashi

Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 06:08 PM

Vaishakha, Shukla paksha

Mohini Ekadashi is named after Lord Vishnu's beautiful form. It brings divine grace, inner beauty, and helps remove negative influences from life.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 06:08 PM
End:Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 06:17 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Apr 27, 2026
Vaishnava: Apr 27, 2026

Apara Ekadashi

Wed, May 13, 2026, 02:53 PM

Jyeshtha, Krishna paksha

Apara Ekadashi helps overcome past difficulties and brings spiritual freedom. It is especially helpful for those seeking inner peace and spiritual growth.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Tue, May 12, 2026, 02:53 PM
End:Wed, May 13, 2026, 01:30 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: May 13, 2026
Vaishnava: May 13, 2026

Padmini Ekadashi

Tue, May 26, 2026, 05:12 AM

Adhika Jyeshtha, Shukla paksha

Padmini Ekadashi occurs during the special Adhika month and brings extraordinary spiritual benefits. It helps remove negative influences and brings divine grace. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Tue, May 26, 2026, 05:12 AM
End:Wed, May 27, 2026, 06:22 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: May 26, 2026
Vaishnava: May 27, 2026

Parama Ekadashi

Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 12:58 AM

Adhika Jyeshtha, Krishna paksha

Parama Ekadashi occurs during the special Adhika month and brings supreme spiritual benefits. It is highly meritorious and brings ultimate spiritual freedom. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 12:58 AM
End:Thu, Jun 11, 2026, 10:37 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jun 11, 2026
Vaishnava: Jun 12, 2026

Nirjala Ekadashi

Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 06:13 PM

Jyeshtha, Shukla paksha

Nirjala Ekadashi is the most challenging fast without water. It brings immense spiritual benefits and is considered equivalent to observing all other Ekadashi fasts.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 06:13 PM
End:Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 08:10 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jun 25, 2026
Vaishnava: Jun 25, 2026

Yogini Ekadashi

Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 08:17 AM

Ashadha, Krishna paksha

Yogini Ekadashi brings great spiritual benefits and blessings. It helps remove negative influences and brings health and prosperity to devotees. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 08:17 AM
End:Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 05:23 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jul 10, 2026
Vaishnava: Jul 11, 2026

Devshayani Ekadashi

Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 09:13 AM

Ashadha, Shukla paksha

Devshayani Ekadashi marks the beginning of Lord Vishnu's rest period. It is a highly auspicious day for spiritual practices and seeking divine blessings.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 09:13 AM
End:Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 11:35 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Jul 25, 2026
Vaishnava: Jul 25, 2026

Kamika Ekadashi

Sun, Aug 9, 2026, 02:00 PM

Shravana, Krishna paksha

Kamika Ekadashi fulfills righteous desires and brings spiritual freedom. It helps remove negative influences and brings prosperity and spiritual growth.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 02:00 PM
End:Sun, Aug 9, 2026, 11:06 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Aug 09, 2026
Vaishnava: Aug 09, 2026

Putrada Ekadashi

Sun, Aug 23, 2026, 02:01 AM

Shravana, Shukla paksha

Putrada Ekadashi brings divine blessings for family harmony and spiritual growth. This sacred day is observed for overall family well-being and strengthening family bonds. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sun, Aug 23, 2026, 02:01 AM
End:Mon, Aug 24, 2026, 04:19 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Aug 23, 2026
Vaishnava: Aug 24, 2026

Aja Ekadashi

Mon, Sep 7, 2026, 07:30 PM

Bhadrapada, Krishna paksha

Aja Ekadashi helps overcome past challenges and brings spiritual freedom. It is especially powerful for those seeking inner peace and spiritual progress.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sun, Sep 6, 2026, 07:30 PM
End:Mon, Sep 7, 2026, 05:05 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Sep 07, 2026
Vaishnava: Sep 07, 2026

Parivartini Ekadashi

Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 08:02 PM

Bhadrapada, Shukla paksha

Parivartini Ekadashi celebrates Lord Krishna's divine movement. It brings both material and spiritual benefits and helps remove life's obstacles.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Mon, Sep 21, 2026, 08:02 PM
End:Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 09:44 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Sep 22, 2026
Vaishnava: Sep 22, 2026

Indira Ekadashi

Tue, Oct 6, 2026, 02:08 AM

Ashwina, Krishna paksha

Indira Ekadashi honors ancestors and brings peace to families. It is especially meaningful for remembering loved ones and strengthening family connections. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Tue, Oct 6, 2026, 02:08 AM
End:Wed, Oct 7, 2026, 12:35 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Oct 06, 2026
Vaishnava: Oct 07, 2026

Papankusha Ekadashi

Thu, Oct 22, 2026, 02:13 PM

Ashwina, Shukla paksha

Papankusha Ekadashi helps overcome difficulties and brings success. It removes obstacles and brings victory in righteous endeavors.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Wed, Oct 21, 2026, 02:13 PM
End:Thu, Oct 22, 2026, 02:49 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Oct 22, 2026
Vaishnava: Oct 22, 2026

Rama Ekadashi

Thu, Nov 5, 2026, 11:04 AM

Kartika, Krishna paksha

Rama Ekadashi brings great spiritual benefits and blessings. It helps remove negative influences and brings prosperity and divine grace.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Wed, Nov 4, 2026, 11:04 AM
End:Thu, Nov 5, 2026, 10:36 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Nov 05, 2026
Vaishnava: Nov 05, 2026

Prabodhini Ekadashi

Fri, Nov 20, 2026, 07:16 AM

Kartika, Shukla paksha

Prabodhini Ekadashi marks Lord Vishnu's awakening. It is highly auspicious for new beginnings and spiritual awakening in devotees. (Note: Observance dates differ by tradition)

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Fri, Nov 20, 2026, 07:16 AM
End:Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 06:32 AM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Nov 20, 2026
Vaishnava: Nov 21, 2026

Utpanna Ekadashi

Fri, Dec 4, 2026, 11:04 PM

Margashirsha, Krishna paksha

Utpanna Ekadashi is the original Ekadashi from Lord Vishnu. It brings all spiritual benefits and helps remove negative influences from many lifetimes.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Thu, Dec 3, 2026, 11:04 PM
End:Fri, Dec 4, 2026, 11:45 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Dec 04, 2026
Vaishnava: Dec 04, 2026

Mokshada Ekadashi

Sun, Dec 20, 2026, 10:10 PM

Margashirsha, Shukla paksha

Mokshada Ekadashi brings spiritual freedom and liberation. It is especially meaningful for those seeking ultimate peace and spiritual enlightenment.

Ekadashi Tithi Timings

Start:Sat, Dec 19, 2026, 10:10 PM
End:Sun, Dec 20, 2026, 08:15 PM

Observance Dates

Smarta: Dec 20, 2026
Vaishnava: Dec 20, 2026

About Ekadashi

Sacred days of spiritual purification and devotion to Lord Vishnu

Spiritual Significance

Ekadashi literally means "eleven" in Sanskrit, referring to the 11th day of each lunar fortnight. It is considered one of the most auspicious days for spiritual practices.

Mythological Origins

According to the Padma Purana, Ekadashi Devi emerged from Lord Vishnu to defeat the demon Mura, earning the boon of granting liberation to devotees.

Benefits of Observance

Regular observance of Ekadashi brings numerous spiritual, mental, and physical benefits to devoted practitioners.

Types of Ekadashi

Each Ekadashi has unique significance and is associated with specific benefits and spiritual practices.

"Ekadashi is the day of divine grace"

The ancient scriptures state that observing Ekadashi with devotion grants the same merit as performing thousands of sacrifices and pilgrimages.

Fasting Observance Guidelines

Traditional guidelines for observing Ekadashi fasting with devotion and spiritual discipline.

Fasting Rules
  • Begin fast from sunrise on Ekadashi day
  • Complete abstinence from grains and beans
  • Only fruits, milk, and water allowed (if not doing Nirjala)
  • Break fast on Dwadashi after sunrise
  • Maintain celibacy during the fast
Spiritual Practices
  • Chant Vishnu mantras and names
  • Read Bhagavad Gita or Vishnu Purana
  • Perform meditation and prayer
  • Visit Vishnu temples if possible
  • Engage in charitable activities
Physical Preparation
  • Eat light meal on Dashami (day before)
  • Avoid heavy or spicy foods
  • Stay hydrated (except during Nirjala)
  • Get adequate rest
  • Avoid strenuous physical activities

Important Reminder

Always consult with your spiritual guide or family traditions for specific observance practices. The timings may vary based on your location and local customs. Listen to your body and practice with devotion rather than mere ritual.

Ekadashi FAQs — Fasting, Parana & Types

What is Ekadashi?

Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi of each lunar fortnight, kept as a fast for Lord Vishnu. It comes twice a month — once in the waxing fortnight, once in the waning — so roughly twenty-four fall in a year. The Padma Purana treats it as one of the most powerful days for spiritual cleansing.

How many Ekadashis are there in a year?

Usually twenty-four, two in each lunar month. A year with an extra (adhika) month can carry twenty-five or twenty-six, adding Padmini and Parama Ekadashi. The list above shows every Ekadashi of the year by name, so the exact count is always the one you see there.

When can you break the Ekadashi fast (parana)?

The fast is broken the next morning, on Dwadashi, within a set window called parana — after sunrise, before the Dwadashi tithi ends, and never during Hari Vasara, the first quarter of Dwadashi. Breaking it too early or too late is held to undo the vrat. This is why the next day's sunrise matters as much as the Ekadashi date itself.

Why do some Ekadashi dates differ (Smarta vs Vaishnava)?

When the Ekadashi tithi spans two sunrises or overlaps with Dashami, the Smarta and Vaishnava (ISKCON) traditions can settle on different days — Smartas fast on the first, Vaishnavas on the second (gauna) to keep the fast clear of Dashami. Both are correct within their own tradition. The list above shows both observance dates wherever they differ.

Why is rice avoided on Ekadashi, and what can you eat?

Grains — rice above all — are set aside on Ekadashi; the tradition ties them to a heaviness that pulls against the day's purpose. Many keep to fruit, milk and root vegetables, or fast without food entirely (nirjala on Nirjala Ekadashi). Sendha (rock) salt replaces table salt. Follow the form your family and health allow.

Which Ekadashi is the most important?

Nirjala Ekadashi (June) is held to carry the merit of all the others in one waterless fast, which is why it draws the largest observance. Dev Uthani / Prabodhini (November), when Vishnu is said to wake from cosmic sleep, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi (December–January) in the south are also major. Each carries its own significance and story.

Do Ekadashi timings change by city?

Yes. The tithi start and end are computed in your selected city's local time, so they shift with location. More to the point, the parana window depends on your local sunrise the next morning — which is why choosing your city matters for getting the fast-breaking time right. Select your city above to localise the calendar.

2026 brings New Delhi 24 Ekadashis, 18 of them on weekdays—easier to keep around a work schedule. Nirjala Ekadashi on June 25 is the strictest if you keep the waterless fast.

Times calculated for New Delhi. Observances may vary by family tradition and regional custom.

Ekadashi by month — the year at a glance

January 2026: In January 2026, Ekadashi falls on Wednesday, 14 January (Shattila Ekadashi) and Thursday, 29 January (Jaya Ekadashi).

February 2026: In February 2026, Ekadashi falls on Friday, 13 February (Vijaya Ekadashi) and Friday, 27 February (Amalaki Ekadashi).

March 2026: In March 2026, Ekadashi falls on Sunday, 15 March (Papamochani Ekadashi) and Sunday, 29 March (Kamada Ekadashi).

April 2026: In April 2026, Ekadashi falls on Monday, 13 April (Varuthini Ekadashi) and Monday, 27 April (Mohini Ekadashi).

May 2026: In May 2026, Ekadashi falls on Wednesday, 13 May (Apara Ekadashi) and Tuesday, 26 May (Padmini Ekadashi).

June 2026: In June 2026, Ekadashi falls on Thursday, 11 June (Parama Ekadashi) and Thursday, 25 June (Nirjala Ekadashi).

July 2026: In July 2026, Ekadashi falls on Friday, 10 July (Yogini Ekadashi) and Saturday, 25 July (Devshayani Ekadashi).

August 2026: In August 2026, Ekadashi falls on Sunday, 9 August (Kamika Ekadashi) and Sunday, 23 August (Putrada Ekadashi).

September 2026: In September 2026, Ekadashi falls on Monday, 7 September (Aja Ekadashi) and Tuesday, 22 September (Parivartini Ekadashi).

October 2026: In October 2026, Ekadashi falls on Tuesday, 6 October (Indira Ekadashi) and Thursday, 22 October (Papankusha Ekadashi).

November 2026: In November 2026, Ekadashi falls on Thursday, 5 November (Rama Ekadashi) and Friday, 20 November (Prabodhini Ekadashi).

December 2026: In December 2026, Ekadashi falls on Friday, 4 December (Utpanna Ekadashi) and Sunday, 20 December (Mokshada Ekadashi).

The 24 Ekadashis of the Year — in depth

Each lunar month holds two Ekadashis — one in the bright fortnight, one in the dark. Open any name for its story, significance, vrat vidhi and parana rules.

Why Does the Eleventh Tithi Belong to Vishnu?

Ekadashi means, quite literally, "the eleventh." A tithi is not a calendar day but a lunar measure: the time the moon takes to move 12 degrees further from the sun. Count eleven such steps from the new moon and you reach shukla Ekadashi, the eleventh of the waxing fortnight; count eleven from the full moon and you reach krishna Ekadashi on the waning side. Because every lunar month holds both fortnights, Ekadashi arrives twice a month — 24 times in an ordinary year, and 26 when an adhika masa, the leap month that reconciles the lunar and solar calendars, adds an extra pair.

Why the eleventh, of all thirty tithis? Tradition gives a layered answer. The Vedic image of the moon as the source of the mind — chandrama manaso jatah, says the Purusha Sukta — makes every tithi a mood of the mind as much as a phase of light. The number eleven maps onto the ten senses plus the mind itself; to fast on the eleventh day is, in this reading, to rein in all eleven at once. That is why Ekadashi observance has always been framed as a discipline of the mind first and of the stomach second.

The Puranas raise the stakes further. The Padma Purana devotes an entire cycle of mahatmyas — one legend per Ekadashi — and personifies the tithi as a goddess who emerges from Vishnu's own body to defeat the demon Mura; the Utpanna Ekadashi story tells of her birth. Each of the year's Ekadashis carries its own name, story, and promised fruit — Nirjala, Mokshada, Saphala — which is why devotees speak of them as distinct festivals rather than repetitions of one date.

In the Hindi-speaking heartland the tithi also wears a homelier name: gyaras, the everyday word for "eleventh." Dev Uthani Gyaras, Nirjala Gyaras — the folk name and the Sanskrit one point to the same day, and a search for either belongs on this page.

For Vaishnavas, Ekadashi is more than one observance among many; it is the skeleton of the whole year. Chaturmas — the four-month pause in weddings and other auspicious beginnings — opens on Devshayani Ekadashi, when Vishnu is said to enter his cosmic sleep, and closes on Prabodhini, better known as Dev Uthani Ekadashi, when he wakes. Between those two poles, the remaining Ekadashis set the rhythm by which temple calendars, pilgrimage seasons, and household fasting all keep time. The dates table above is, in that sense, a map of the Vaishnava year.

Why Are There Sometimes Two Ekadashi Dates?

Look up the same Ekadashi in two panchangs and you may find two different days, one labelled Smarta and one Vaishnava. Neither is an error. They are two answers to a genuinely hard question: what should be done when Ekadashi is running at sunrise, but the tenth tithi, dashami, was still alive in the last darkness before dawn?

That situation has a technical name: dashami-viddha — an Ekadashi "pierced" by the tenth. The Dharmashastra digests that govern such decisions, the Nirnaya Sindhu and the Dharmasindhu among them, treat arunodaya — the final stretch of night, reckoned at four ghatis, roughly an hour and a half before sunrise — as the decisive window. In the Vaishnava reading, if even a sliver of dashami survives into arunodaya, that morning's Ekadashi is viddha: mixed, and unfit for the fast. The observance shifts to the next day, when the tithi is shuddha, unmixed — even if the civil calendar labels that day dwadashi. The Smarta position, followed in general household dharma, ordinarily keeps the fast on the first day and reserves its finer sub-rules for rarer overlaps.

Who follows which? A workable rule of thumb: families who keep Ekadashi as part of ordinary householder practice, without initiation into a Vaishnava lineage, follow the Smarta date — that is what most printed calendars in North India assume. Those initiated in the Gaudiya, Madhva, or Sri Vaishnava sampradayas, or who follow ISKCON's calendar, take the Vaishnava date. Neither is superior; they simply weigh the purity of the tithi differently.

When the fast moves to the second day, that day is traditionally called gauna Ekadashi — gauna meaning secondary — and you will see the word in panchangs whenever the split occurs.

Why doesn't this happen every month? Because tithi boundaries fall at any hour of the clock. In most fortnights dashami ends comfortably before dawn, and the two schools agree without ceremony. Only a handful of times a year does the boundary graze arunodaya closely enough to split the decision — which is exactly why the disagreement feels sporadic and confusing when it surfaces.

This page removes the guesswork: whenever the Smarta and Vaishnava dates differ, the table above lists both, clearly marked, so you can follow whichever your family or sampradaya prescribes rather than averaging the two.

How Does the Fast Unfold, from Dashami Evening to Parana?

The vrat is longer than the day it is named for. Classically it opens on dashami evening: a single, simple meal taken before nightfall, with rice already set aside, so that the body enters Ekadashi light and the mind enters it decided. The fast then runs the full tithi and resolves only the next morning, at parana on dwadashi — a three-day arc gathered around one lunar day.

On Ekadashi itself, tradition recognises several intensities rather than one rule. Nirjala is the strictest: no food and no water, famously kept once a year on Nirjala Ekadashi, and by the most austere on every Ekadashi. Phalahar is the middle way most households follow — fruit, milk, and non-grain foods such as singhara or kuttu flour, with sabudana admitted by regional custom. The gentlest form is a single grainless meal in the day. What every form shares is the exclusion of grains, and of rice above everything.

Why is rice singled out? The Puranic explanation is vivid: sin personified is said to take refuge in grain on this tithi, so eating grain means taking in the very thing the fast is meant to expel. A second, subtler reasoning ties rice to the moon: rice grows standing in water, and the moon governs both the waters and the mind. To eat the moon's own crop on the tithi devoted to stilling the mind is held to feed the restlessness the vrat is trying to quiet. Whether one reads these as literal or as teaching-stories, they explain why a rice-free Ekadashi is the one detail nearly every regional tradition agrees on.

Parana — breaking the fast — has its own rule, and it matters as much as the fast. It is done on dwadashi morning, after sunrise but before the dwadashi tithi runs out, and outside Hari Vasara, the first quarter of dwadashi, which is treated as still belonging to the fast. If dwadashi is set to end very early, parana follows immediately after sunrise. Ending the vrat late, inside trayodashi, is traditionally held to forfeit part of its fruit — which is why the parana window is printed beside every date on this page.

One caution belongs here rather than in fine print: these observances are described so the tradition can be understood, not prescribed as medical guidance. Choose the form — full, phalahar, partial, or none at all — that your own family practice and your health genuinely permit, and avoid the severe forms in illness, in pregnancy, or against medical advice.

Why Can the Same Ekadashi Fall a Day Apart in Two Cities?

An Ekadashi does not begin at midnight. It begins at the instant the moon reaches the exact angular distance from the sun that defines the tithi — one moment, the same for the whole planet. What differs from city to city is the sunrise against which that moment is measured. The fasting day follows the udaya rule: the vrat belongs to the day on whose local sunrise the Ekadashi tithi is running, refined further by the viddha rules the previous section explains. Sunrise in New York comes many hours after sunrise in Delhi; if the tithi happens to end inside that gap, the two cities fast a day apart — same tithi, same astronomical moment, different civil date. Even inside India the same thing can happen on a fine margin: sunrise in Kolkata leads sunrise in Dwarka by about an hour, and a tithi boundary falling within that hour hands east and west different days.

This is why "ekadashi kab hai" has no single worldwide answer, and why this page asks for your city before it answers. The start and end stamps shown against each date are the tithi's true boundaries expressed in your selected city's clock; the highlighted fasting day is then derived from your own city's sunrise — not Delhi's, not Ujjain's.

A second variation confuses readers even when the day itself is identical: the month name. North Indian calendars are Purnimanta — the month ends on purnima — while much of southern and western India follows the Amanta reckoning, in which the month closes on amavasya. The two systems give the same names through shukla paksha and drift apart in krishna paksha, when the Purnimanta name runs one month ahead. The same Kamika Ekadashi is therefore Shravana krishna paksha in a Purnimanta calendar and Ashadha krishna paksha in an Amanta one. Nothing about the day moves; only its label does. If a festival list from another region seems to place an Ekadashi in the "wrong" month, check the paksha first — the discrepancy almost always dissolves there.

Reading the table above, then, takes three glances: the tithi's start and end in your local time; the fasting day your sunrise selects; and, wherever the Smarta and Vaishnava reckonings part ways, both dates side by side. Everything else — the month name included — is presentation over the same underlying astronomy, which this page recomputes for your location each time rather than copying from any printed almanac.

Ekadashi FAQs — Fasting, Parana & Types

What is Ekadashi?

Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi of each lunar fortnight, kept as a fast for Lord Vishnu. It comes twice a month — once in the waxing fortnight, once in the waning — so roughly twenty-four fall in a year. The Padma Purana treats it as one of the most powerful days for spiritual cleansing.

How many Ekadashis are there in a year?

Usually twenty-four, two in each lunar month. A year with an extra (adhika) month can carry twenty-five or twenty-six, adding Padmini and Parama Ekadashi. The list above shows every Ekadashi of the year by name, so the exact count is always the one you see there.

When can you break the Ekadashi fast (parana)?

The fast is broken the next morning, on Dwadashi, within a set window called parana — after sunrise, before the Dwadashi tithi ends, and never during Hari Vasara, the first quarter of Dwadashi. Breaking it too early or too late is held to undo the vrat. This is why the next day's sunrise matters as much as the Ekadashi date itself.

Why do some Ekadashi dates differ (Smarta vs Vaishnava)?

When the Ekadashi tithi spans two sunrises or overlaps with Dashami, the Smarta and Vaishnava (ISKCON) traditions can settle on different days — Smartas fast on the first, Vaishnavas on the second (gauna) to keep the fast clear of Dashami. Both are correct within their own tradition. The list above shows both observance dates wherever they differ.

Why is rice avoided on Ekadashi, and what can you eat?

Grains — rice above all — are set aside on Ekadashi; the tradition ties them to a heaviness that pulls against the day's purpose. Many keep to fruit, milk and root vegetables, or fast without food entirely (nirjala on Nirjala Ekadashi). Sendha (rock) salt replaces table salt. Follow the form your family and health allow.

Which Ekadashi is the most important?

Nirjala Ekadashi (June) is held to carry the merit of all the others in one waterless fast, which is why it draws the largest observance. Dev Uthani / Prabodhini (November), when Vishnu is said to wake from cosmic sleep, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi (December–January) in the south are also major. Each carries its own significance and story.

Do Ekadashi timings change by city?

Yes. The tithi start and end are computed in your selected city's local time, so they shift with location. More to the point, the parana window depends on your local sunrise the next morning — which is why choosing your city matters for getting the fast-breaking time right. Select your city above to localise the calendar.

More vrat & tithi calendars

Amavasya Dates
New-moon days for pitru karma, snan and daan
Purnima Dates
Full-moon days with tithi timings and named Purnimas
Pradosh Vrat
Twilight Shiva worship — every Trayodashi with kaal timings
Festival Calendar
The full month-by-month Hindu festival calendar