एकादशी महीने में दो बार क्यों आती है

Hindu festivals move around the English calendar because they follow the tithi — a lunar day — not the date.

What a tithi is

A tithi is the time it takes the Moon to move 12 degrees further away from the Sun. There are 30 in a lunar month:

• Shukla paksha (waxing): Pratipada to Purnima, 15 tithis
• Krishna paksha (waning): Pratipada to Amavasya, 15 tithis

Ekadashi is the 11th tithi, so it comes once in each paksha — twice a month.

Why it doesn't match the date

The Moon's speed varies, so a tithi can last anywhere from about 19 to 26 hours. It starts and ends at any time of day. That is why:

• A tithi can begin in the afternoon and run into the next morning.
• Occasionally one tithi covers two sunrises, and another is skipped entirely (kshaya tithi).

Which day is the vrat?

The panchang convention is to take the tithi at sunrise. If Ekadashi is running when the sun rises, that day is Ekadashi. When it spans two sunrises, calendars give detailed rules (Smarta and Vaishnava traditions sometimes choose different days), which is why you may see two dates listed.

Other tithis to know

• Chaturthi (4th) — Ganesh; Sankashti Chaturthi in Krishna paksha
• Trayodashi (13th) — Pradosh, sacred to Shiva
• Purnima — full moon; Satyanarayan katha
• Amavasya — new moon; for ancestors (pitru)

The 24 Ekadashis and their names

Each Ekadashi has its own name and story from the Puranas. Some of the best known:

Ekadashi	Month and paksha	Known for
Nirjala	Jyeshtha Shukla	The strictest fast, without water; said to equal all 24
Devshayani	Ashadha Shukla	Vishnu's four-month sleep begins — the start of Chaturmas
Devutthana (Prabodhini)	Kartika Shukla	Vishnu wakes; weddings resume; Tulsi vivah
Mokshada	Margashirsha Shukla	Gita Jayanti
Vaikuntha / Putrada	Pausha Shukla	Vaikuntha dwar darshan in South Indian temples
Amalaki	Phalguna Shukla	Worship of the amla tree
Papmochani	Phalguna Krishna (amanta)	The last Ekadashi of the lunar year

In a year with an Adhik maas — like 2026, with an extra Jyeshtha — there are 26 Ekadashis. The two extra are called Padmini and Parama.

Parana: breaking the fast

The fast is broken on Dwadashi, the next morning, during a window called parana. The rules are:

• Break the fast after sunrise on Dwadashi, preferably in the morning.
• Do not break it during Hari Vasara, the first quarter of Dwadashi.
• Break it before Dwadashi ends; if Dwadashi ends before sunrise, break it after sunrise anyway.

Our vrat calendar gives the parana time with every Ekadashi.

Smarta and Vaishnava dates

When Ekadashi touches two sunrises, or Dashami is still running at arunodaya (about 96 minutes before sunrise), the Vaishnava tradition (including ISKCON) moves the fast to the next day. Smarta households keep the first day. That is why you will sometimes see "Ekadashi (Smarta)" and "Ekadashi (Vaishnava)" on different dates.

Common questions

Can I drink water on Ekadashi? Only Nirjala Ekadashi is traditionally waterless. On other Ekadashis, water, milk and fruit are commonly allowed; grains and beans are avoided.

Is rice forbidden on Ekadashi? Yes, in almost every tradition. Grains of all kinds are avoided; rice is the one most often mentioned.

Can I keep Ekadashi if I am unwell? The tradition allows a lighter fast — fruit and milk — for anyone who is ill, elderly, pregnant or on medication. Speak to a doctor if in doubt.

See every Ekadashi of the year, with its name and parana, in the Ekadashi calendar.

Our panchang shows today's tithi with the exact time it ends, calculated for your city.

ज्योतिषवाणी संपादकीय टीम द्वारा शास्त्रीय स्रोतों से लिखा गया। अपनी कुंडली के विश्लेषण के लिए ज्योतिषी से बात करें।