Ekadashi Vrat 2026 — Complete Calendar, Fasting Rules & Significance

Ekadashi (एकादशी) literally means "eleven" in Sanskrit — it is the 11th tithi (lunar day) of each of the two fortnights in the Hindu lunar month. Every lunar month has two Ekadashis: one in Shukla Paksha (the waxing, bright fortnight from new moon to full moon) and one in Krishna Paksha (the waning, dark fortnight from full moon to new moon). Across a full year this gives 24 Ekadashis, or 26 in a year with Adhik Maas (the leap month that periodically corrects the lunisolar calendar).

Ekadashi is the single most important fasting day in Vaishnavism — the devotional tradition centred on Lord Vishnu and his avatars. The Padma Purana, one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, teaches that observing Ekadashi vrat destroys accumulated sins, purifies the mind and body, and leads the devotee toward Vaikuntha, Vishnu's celestial abode. The Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana also emphasise the importance of Ekadashi as a day of heightened spiritual energy, when the tapasic (ascetic) potential of fasting is said to be multiplied many times over.

The theological basis of Ekadashi fasting is connected to the Moon's cycle and its influence on the human body and mind. The 11th day of each fortnight is believed to correspond to a point at which the Moon's gravitational pull affects the fluid content of the body differently, making it an ideal time to reduce food intake and turn inward. The digestive system is given rest, mental clarity is said to increase, and the devotee redirects energy from physical appetite toward prayer, scripture, and the repetition of divine names.

Every Ekadashi has its own name, its own mythological narrative (called the Ekadashi Mahatmya or Vrat Katha), and its own specific merits. Some Ekadashis are associated with granting particular blessings — moksha (liberation), removal of sins, prosperity, progeny, or devotion. The Padma Purana records individual Mahatmyas for each of the 24 named Ekadashis, and hearing or reading these stories on the day itself is considered part of the vrat.

2026 is a special year in the Hindu calendar because it contains an Adhik Maas (extra leap month, also called Mal Maas or Purushottam Maas). This leap month, dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Purushottam, falls in mid-2026 and adds two additional Ekadashis — Padmini and Parama — making 2026 a year of 26 Ekadashi observances in total, rather than the usual 24.

All dates below follow the Drik Panchang (drikpanchang.com) calendar for New Delhi (IST), cross-checked against Prokerala and AstroSage. Observance dates use the udaya-tithi (sunrise) convention — the Ekadashi is kept on the day the tithi is present at sunrise — so devotees in other time zones should consult a local panchang.

January 2026: • Shattila Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Pausha) — 14 January, Wednesday • Jaya Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Magha) — 29 January, Thursday

February 2026: • Vijaya Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Magha) — 13 February, Friday • Amalaki Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Phalguna) — 27 February, Friday

March 2026: • Papamochani Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Phalguna) — 15 March, Sunday • Kamada Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Chaitra) — 29 March, Sunday

April 2026: • Varuthini Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Chaitra) — 13 April, Monday • Mohini Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Vaishakha) — 27 April, Monday

May 2026: • Apara Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Vaishakha) — 13 May, Wednesday • Padmini Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Adhik Maas) — 27 May, Wednesday ★ Adhik Maas

June 2026: • Parama Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Adhik Maas) — 11 June, Thursday ★ Adhik Maas • Nirjala Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Jyeshtha) — 25 June, Thursday ★ Most Sacred

July 2026: • Yogini Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Ashadha) — 10 July, Friday • Devshayani Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Ashadha) — 25 July, Saturday ★ Chaturmas Begins

August 2026: • Kamika Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Shravana) — 9 August, Sunday • Shravana Putrada Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Shravana) — 23 August, Sunday

September 2026: • Aja Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Bhadrapada) — 7 September, Monday • Parivartini Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Bhadrapada) — 22 September, Tuesday

October 2026: • Indira Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Ashwin) — 6 October, Tuesday • Papankusha Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Ashwin) — 22 October, Thursday

November 2026: • Rama Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Kartik) — 5 November, Thursday • Devutthana Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Kartik) — 20 November, Friday ★ Chaturmas Ends

December 2026: • Utpanna Ekadashi (Krishna Paksha, Margashirsha) — 4 December, Friday • Mokshada Ekadashi (Shukla Paksha, Margashirsha) — 20 December, Sunday ★ Vaikuntha Ekadashi

The two Adhik Maas Ekadashis (Padmini and Parama) carry special merit: the Padma Purana teaches that the punya (spiritual merit) earned by observing them is equivalent to many ordinary Ekadashis combined, since Adhik Maas itself is a time of heightened spiritual receptivity dedicated entirely to Purushottam (Vishnu).

Ekadashi vrat has a structured three-day rhythm: preparation on Dashami (the 10th tithi the day before), the fast on Ekadashi, and the ceremonial breaking of the fast on Dwadashi (the 12th day). Following this full rhythm is considered more complete than fasting on Ekadashi day alone.

Preparation on Dashami (the eve of Ekadashi): The Padma Purana advises eating only one meal on Dashami evening, taken before sunset. This meal should be sattvic (light, vegetarian) and free of meat, alcohol, masoor lentils, onions, and garlic — all items that are also prohibited throughout Ekadashi itself. This gradual reduction prepares the digestive system and sets the devotional intention for the following day.

On Ekadashi day itself, observance ranges from a strict nirahara (complete abstinence from all food and water — the Nirjala form practiced on the most special Ekadashi of the year) to the more common phalahari form where fruits, milk products, nuts, and specific root vegetables are consumed. The widely practiced phalahari rules allow:

• Fruits of all kinds — fresh, dried, or as juice • Milk, curd (yogurt), paneer, buttermilk, and ghee • Sendha namak (rock salt / halite) — ordinary table salt is avoided • Sabudana (tapioca pearls, also called sago) • Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and arbi (taro root) • Makhana (fox nuts / lotus seeds) • Nuts and nut-based flours (particularly singhara atta — water chestnut flour, and rajgira atta — amaranth flour) • Sugar and natural sweeteners

The foods specifically prohibited on Ekadashi are grains of all kinds — rice, wheat, corn, barley, and pulses (lentils and beans) are all avoided. These are the staple foods whose avoidance constitutes the primary physical discipline of the vrat. Onions, garlic, non-vegetarian food, and alcohol are prohibited as a matter of course.

Throughout Ekadashi, devotees are encouraged to spend the day in kirtan (chanting of divine names, especially "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" or the Hare Krishna maha-mantra), reading or listening to the Bhagavata Purana or the Ekadashi Mahatmya for that specific day, visiting a Vishnu or Krishna temple, and performing mental or physical seva (service). Sleeping during the day is traditionally discouraged on Ekadashi; remaining awake through the night (jaagran) is considered especially meritorious, and many temples hold overnight kirtan sessions.

The word Parana (पारणा) means "to complete" or "to end," and it refers to the ceremonial breaking of the Ekadashi fast on the morning of Dwadashi (the 12th tithi, the day after Ekadashi). How and when Parana is done is as important to the tradition as the fast itself — breaking the fast too early, too late, or in the wrong manner is said to negate the merits of the vrat.

The correct Parana should be done: 1. After sunrise on Dwadashi 2. Before the Dwadashi tithi ends (the Dwadashi end time is published in each day's panchang, and Parana must be completed before it) 3. After the Hari-Vasara window has passed — Hari-Vasara is the one-quarter portion of Ekadashi that extends into Dwadashi morning, and breaking the fast during this window is traditionally discouraged

The Padma Purana gives specific guidance: if Dwadashi ends before sunrise on the following morning, Parana should be done on that same Dwadashi day itself, even if it is before noon. Devotees who have kept a complete Nirjala fast should break it with water or Tulsi water first, before food. The traditional first food on breaking the fast is grains — rice or wheat — which were avoided during Ekadashi, and these are often offered to Lord Vishnu as prasad first before the devotee eats. Ekadashi Parana is ideally done after a brief puja or at least after uttering "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" and offering thanks to the Lord.

Those who observe Ekadashi regularly consult their panchang or a reputable online panchang calculator each month for the precise Parana window for their location, since the tithi timing shifts with each lunar cycle and varies by geographic longitude. Panchang apps and websites that publish daily panchang for specific cities are widely used for this purpose.

While all 24 (or 26) Ekadashis of the year carry spiritual significance, four are especially celebrated and attract the largest gatherings at temples:

Nirjala Ekadashi — 25 June 2026 (Shukla Paksha, Jyeshtha): Also called Bhimseni Ekadashi or Pandava Ekadashi, this is the most rigorous of all the Ekadashis. Nirjala means "without water" — devotees observe a complete fast without any food or water from sunrise on Ekadashi until Parana time on Dwadashi morning. It is said that observing just this one Nirjala Ekadashi is equivalent in merit to all 24 Ekadashis of the year combined. The mythological context is the Mahabharata: the Pandava Bhima, a lover of food, could not observe each Ekadashi through the year, so the sage Vyasa advised him to observe at least this one, the most powerful, with complete strictness. The timing in the summer heat makes it a genuine physical austerity. Many devotees donate water, umbrellas, or fans as charity on this day.

Devshayani Ekadashi — 25 July 2026 (Shukla Paksha, Ashadha): This Ekadashi marks the beginning of Chaturmas (the "four months"), the period during which Lord Vishnu is said to fall into his cosmic sleep (yoga-nidra) on the serpent Shesha in the ocean of milk. With Vishnu "resting," the responsibility of cosmic maintenance passes to Shiva. Chaturmas is a time when wandering Hindu monks traditionally halted their travels and remained in one place to study and teach — a practice that continues in Jain and Shaiva monastic traditions as well. For householders, Chaturmas is a period of heightened religious observance, dietary simplicity, and the avoidance of certain activities. This Ekadashi falls in mid-summer (Ashadha month) and is also called Ashadi Ekadashi, particularly celebrated in Maharashtra where the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage reaches its climax on this day, drawing hundreds of thousands of Warkari devotees.

Devutthana Ekadashi — 20 November 2026 (Shukla Paksha, Kartik): Called Prabodhini Ekadashi (the "awakening") or Dev Uthani Gyaras, this marks the end of Chaturmas and Lord Vishnu's return from cosmic sleep. The festival of Tulsi Vivah — the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant (sacred basil) to Lord Vishnu in the form of a shaligram stone — is performed on this day or the following day. With the auspicious period of Chaturmas ending, this Ekadashi is considered the traditional start of the Hindu wedding season. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, Dev Uthani Gyaras is a major community celebration.

Mokshada Ekadashi — 20 December 2026 (Shukla Paksha, Margashirsha): Also known as Vaikuntha Ekadashi in South India (particularly in temples of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, where the gates of the Vaikuntha sanctum are ceremonially opened on this day), Mokshada Ekadashi is associated with the liberation of souls. The Gita Jayanti — the anniversary of Lord Krishna delivering the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — also falls around this time, and the two observances are often celebrated together. Visiting a Vishnu temple on Mokshada Ekadashi and reading or hearing the Bhagavad Gita is considered to grant moksha (liberation) to the devotee and even to their ancestors.

Ekadashi fasting is practiced most centrally in Vaishnavism, but is observed — with varying emphasis — across the full range of Hindu sampradayas.

In the Sri Vaishnava tradition (followers of Ramanuja), Ekadashi is a mandatory observance for initiated members of the community, with very strict rules around which grains and spices are permitted even in the phalahari diet. The Iyengar Brahmin community of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka follows detailed Ekadashi rules inherited from Ramanuja's commentaries. In the Madhva sampradaya (Dvaita Vedanta of Karnataka), Ekadashi is similarly central and the Udupi Paryaya festival has a strong Ekadashi dimension.

In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition (Bengal Vaishnavas, and the worldwide movement of ISKCON founded by Srila Prabhupada), Ekadashi observance is highly structured. ISKCON publishes its own annual Ekadashi calendar with precise Parana times for cities worldwide. Grains — including all grains and beans, as well as certain spices like mustard seeds and fenugreek — are strictly avoided; permitted foods are narrower than in some other traditions. Full-night kirtan (sankirtan) on Ekadashi is a hallmark of ISKCON celebrations.

Outside Vaishnavism, Shaiva communities also observe Ekadashi, though for them the primary fasting days are typically Mondays (Somavar Vrat, dedicated to Shiva) and Pradosh (the 13th tithi). Smarta Brahmins often observe both Ekadashi and Pradosh. Many Hindu women observe Ekadashi as part of a broader personal vrat practice alongside Mondays, Fridays, or the Solah Somavar (sixteen Mondays) vrat. The flexibility of Hindu devotional practice means that Ekadashi fasting at home, at whatever level of strictness the individual can sustain, is considered meritorious and welcome across all these contexts.