Vrat & observance dates · India · IST
Ekadashi 2026
All Ekadashi vrat dates this year — the 11th lunar day, observed with fasting for Lord Vishnu.
Next Ekadashi: Monday, September 7 · Aja Ekadashi
In short
There are 6 Ekadashi dates in 2026 (India, IST), and the next is Monday, September 7. The full list is below — tap any date for that day's panchangam.
Ekadashi · 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
Computed from the panchang (India, IST · Hyderabad reference). A regional calendar may occasionally differ by a day when a tithi spans or skips a sunrise.
What is Ekadashi?
All Ekadashi vrat dates this year — the 11th lunar day, observed with fasting for Lord Vishnu.
Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi (lunar day) of each fortnight, so there are two Ekadashis a lunar month — one in the waxing (Shukla) and one in the waning (Krishna) paksha — about 24 a year. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and observed with a fast (vrat) that is broken the next morning during Parana.
Each Ekadashi has its own name and significance (Nirjala, Devshayani, Devutthana/Prabodhini, Putrada, Vaikuntha and others). Devotees avoid grains and beans, spend the day in prayer and japa, and break the fast within the Parana window on Dwadashi.
The dates below are computed from the panchang for India (IST). Because a tithi can span or skip a sunrise, a regional calendar may occasionally differ by a day — tap any date for that day's full panchangam and Parana guidance.
How to observe Ekadashi
- 1 On the Ekadashi day, wake early, bathe and take a sankalp (vow) to observe the vrat.
- 2 Keep the fast through the day as per the observance — avoiding grains where prescribed.
- 3 Offer puja and prayers to the presiding deity, with japa and reading of the vrat katha.
- 4 Break the fast (parana) at the prescribed time — see that day's panchangam for the exact window.
How this is calculated
Timings are computed with the Drik (observational) method using the Lahiri (Chitra-paksha) ayanamsha, for India (IST) with Hyderabad as the reference location. Sunrise- and sunset-based windows — Rahu Kalam, Choghadiya and the muhurtas — are derived from the day's actual sunrise and sunset, so they shift a few minutes by city.
FAQ
How many Ekadashis are there in a year?
Usually 24 — one in the waxing (Shukla) and one in the waning (Krishna) fortnight of each lunar month. In a year with an extra (adhika) month there are 26.
Which Ekadashi is the most important?
Nirjala Ekadashi (Jyeshtha Shukla, a waterless fast) is considered the most meritorious. Devshayani and Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi mark when Lord Vishnu sleeps and wakes, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi (in Margazhi/Dhanur month) is especially significant in South India.
What can I eat during Ekadashi vrat?
Fruits, milk, nuts and vrat-friendly foods such as sabudana, potato and singhara (water-chestnut) flour are allowed. Grains, rice and pulses are avoided; some observe a stricter phalahar or waterless (Nirjala) fast.
Can we eat rice on Ekadashi?
No. Rice and all grains are specifically avoided on Ekadashi — rice is traditionally the first food given up for the vrat.
What foods are forbidden on Ekadashi?
All grains and rice, wheat, and pulses/beans are avoided; strict observers also skip onion, garlic and certain vegetables. Only fruit, milk and vrat-special foods are taken.
How is the Ekadashi fast broken (Parana)?
The fast is broken the next morning on Dwadashi, after sunrise and within the Parana window before the Dwadashi tithi ends — and not during Hari Vasara (the first quarter of Dwadashi). Tap any date for that day's exact Parana time.
Which god is worshipped on Ekadashi?
Lord Vishnu (and his forms such as Krishna and Rama). Devotees keep the fast, do japa and read the Ekadashi vrat katha.
Who should not fast on Ekadashi?
Fasting is not mandatory for everyone — the ill, elderly, pregnant women, and children are exempt and may simply avoid grains or take phalahar instead of a full fast.
What are the benefits of observing Ekadashi?
It is believed to cleanse past karma and please Lord Vishnu, and it gives the body a periodic rest and cultivates self-discipline and devotion.
