Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi, the eleventh lunar day, of each fortnight. It falls twice a month, in the bright half (Shukla paksha) and the dark half (Krishna paksha), so there are usually 24 Ekadashis a year, and 26 in a year with an extra lunar month (adhik maas). It is one of the most widely observed fasting days in Hinduism, sacred to Vishnu.
How the date is fixed
Ekadashi is the tithi when the Moon is between 120° and 132° ahead of the Sun (Shukla) or between 300° and 312° (Krishna). Because tithis do not align with calendar days, the fasting date is set by rules about which tithi prevails at sunrise, and sometimes differs by a day between traditions (the Smarta and Vaishnava calendars). Always check the panchang for your city.
How the fast is kept
Practices vary with health and tradition:
- Nirjala: no food or water (the strictest; most associated with Nirjala Ekadashi in Jyeshtha).
- Phalahar: fruit, milk and nuts only.
- Grain-free: avoiding rice, wheat, pulses and beans, while eating other simple food.
The day is spent in prayer, reading scripture, chanting Vishnu's names and staying awake in the evening where possible. People with medical conditions, pregnant women, children and the elderly are traditionally excused or keep a lighter fast.
Parana: breaking the fast
The fast is broken on the next day, Dwadashi, after sunrise and within the window shown in the panchang, ideally before Dwadashi ends. Breaking it during the first quarter of Dwadashi (Hari vasara) is traditionally avoided.
Notable Ekadashis
- Vaikuntha (Mokshada) Ekadashi, in Margashirsha (December–January): the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open.
- Nirjala Ekadashi, in Jyeshtha (May–June): the strictest fast, said to equal all 24.
- Devshayani Ekadashi, in Ashadha (June–July): Vishnu's four-month sleep and the start of Chaturmas.
- Prabodhini (Devutthana) Ekadashi, in Kartika (October–November): Vishnu wakes; the wedding season traditionally resumes.
Why Ekadashi?
Tradition links the fast with discipline of the senses and devotion. Many people also value the regular, gentle fast for its own sake: a twice-monthly pause.
See upcoming tithis in our panchang.