Ekadashi Vrat: vidhi, katha and rules
Lord Vishnu · The 11th tithi of both pakshas, twice a month
Ekadashi is devoted to Lord Vishnu and falls twice a month, on the eleventh tithi of Shukla and Krishna paksha. A year usually has 24 Ekadashis, and 26 in a year with Adhik maas. The fast is opened the next day, on Dwadashi, within the parana window.
🗓 Coming dates (Delhi)
- Friday, 20 November 2026
- Friday, 4 December 2026
- Sunday, 20 December 2026
- Sunday, 3 January 2027
- Monday, 18 January 2027
- Tuesday, 2 February 2027
- Wednesday, 17 February 2027
- Thursday, 4 March 2027
Next Shukla paksha begins around Tuesday, 10 November
How it is kept (vidhi)
- From the evening of Dashami, many people eat light, sattvik food.
- On Ekadashi morning, bathe and take the sankalp before Lord Vishnu.
- Offer yellow flowers, tulsi leaves, fruit and panchamrit.
- Chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya and listen to that Ekadashi's katha.
- Many people enjoy bhajan and kirtan at night.
- On Dwadashi, the fast is opened within the parana window, often after giving some daan.
Common practices
- Rice and grains are not eaten on Ekadashi. Many people take fruit and milk, and some keep a nirjala fast without water.
- Tulsi leaves are picked a day earlier, as they are traditionally not plucked on Ekadashi.
- Onion, garlic and heavy tamasic food are avoided.
- The parana time is taken from the panchang: after Hari Vasar and before Dwadashi ends.
The katha
In ancient times there was a powerful asura named Mura who troubled the gods and drove them from their home. The gods went to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu faced Mura and his army for a long time. Tired after the long struggle, he went to rest in a quiet cave called Himavati, in Badrikashram.
Mura followed him there. Just then, a radiant goddess appeared from Vishnu's own body. She was full of light and strength, and she defeated Mura on her own.
When Vishnu woke up, he was delighted. As she had appeared on the eleventh tithi, he named her Ekadashi and offered her a boon. She asked that those who fast on her day and remember Vishnu with devotion find support on their path. Vishnu gladly agreed.
This first Ekadashi fell in the month of Margashirsha and is called Utpanna Ekadashi, the day Ekadashi was born. Many people begin their Ekadashi vrat from this day.
Retold in our own words from the traditional story.
Udyapan
When a year's Ekadashi sankalp is complete, many families do the udyapan, often on Utpanna Ekadashi in Margashirsha. A Vishnu puja, a havan, and food and daan for Brahmins or people in need are common. Many people ask their pandit for the details.
Questions
- How many Ekadashis are there in a year?
- Usually 24, two every month. In a year with Adhik maas, there are 26.
- When is the Ekadashi fast opened?
- The fast is opened the next day, on Dwadashi, within the parana window. This is after sunrise and before Dwadashi ends. Check the exact time in your city's panchang.
- What about Ekadashi during periods or illness?
- In many families, people don't fast at such times and simply remember Vishnu, or take light fruit. You can keep the next Ekadashi as usual, and your count stays. Your health comes first.
This information is awaiting review by a pandit. Traditions differ by family and region.