Kamika Ekadashi is the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight of Shravan, kept in devotion to Lord Vishnu. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, 9 August. It is the first of the two Ekadashis within the North Indian Sawan month, and is observed for the removal of sins and for peace of mind.
Below are the exact Ekadashi tithi timings for New Delhi, the all-important parana (fast-breaking) window on 10 August, the vrat vidhi step by step, and the katha that is read or heard during the fast.
Kamika Ekadashi 2026 at a glance
Date
Sun, 9 August 2026
Tithi
Shravan Krishna Ekadashi
Ekadashi begins
8 Aug, 14:00 (IST)
Ekadashi ends
9 Aug, 11:06 (IST)
Parana (10 Aug)
05:47 – 08:01 (IST)
Deity
Lord Vishnu
Date, tithi & parana time
When to keep the fast and when to break it
Ekadashi Tithi begins
8 August, 02:00 PM
Ekadashi Tithi ends
9 August, 11:06 AM
Fast (vrat) day
Sunday, 9 August
The vrat is kept through this day
Parana (break fast)
10 August, 05:47 – 08:01 AM
On Dwadashi, after sunrise
The Ekadashi tithi begins on the afternoon of 8 August and ends late in the morning of 9 August, so the vrat is kept on Sunday, 9 August. The single most important timing is the parana — the fast is broken the next morning, on Dwadashi (10 August), within the window shown above, after sunrise and before Dwadashi ends. Breaking the fast outside this window is avoided. These timings are for New Delhi; confirm the parana for your own city.
Mind the parana window
Vrat vidhi
How the Ekadashi fast is kept, step by step
Take a light, grain-based meal on the evening of Dashami, then keep the fast from sunrise on Ekadashi. Many observe a nirjala (waterless) fast; others keep phalahar on fruit and milk. Bathe in the morning, then worship Lord Vishnu — offer tulsi leaves, flowers, a lamp and incense, and read or hear the Kamika Ekadashi katha. Spend the day in japa and bhajan, keep away from grains, rice, onion and garlic, and stay awake in devotion where you can. Break the fast during the parana window on Dwadashi, ideally after offering food to a brahmin or the needy.
Katha & significance
The story behind the Ekadashi and why it is kept
The katha, from the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, tells of a warrior who killed a brahmin in a fit of anger and was burdened with a grave sin no ordinary penance could lift. A sage counselled him to keep the Kamika Ekadashi vrat and to worship Lord Vishnu with a sincere heart. He did so, offering tulsi and a lamp, and by the merit of the fast was released from the sin. The story is read during the vrat as a reminder that this Ekadashi is held to cleanse even the heaviest wrongs, and that a single tulsi leaf offered to Vishnu with devotion pleases him deeply.
The two Sawan Ekadashis
Find your city's Ekadashi & parana timing
These timings are for New Delhi. For your city's exact sunrise, tithi and parana window, use our live tools.
Frequently asked questions
Kamika Ekadashi 2026 date, parana and vrat