Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi (lunar day) of each fortnight — occurring twice a lunar month, once in the waxing Shukla Paksha and once in the waning Krishna Paksha — and is the day most sacred to Lord Vishnu. Observing the Ekadashi vrat, a fast dedicated to Vishnu, is considered among the most powerful spiritual practices in the Hindu tradition, believed to cleanse sins, still the mind, and lead the soul toward liberation (moksha). With two Ekadashis a month, there are 24 in an ordinary year and 26 in an adhika-masa (intercalary) year.
The Rules of the Fast
The classic Ekadashi vrat is a fast from all grains and pulses — rice, wheat, lentils, and their products are avoided, and many keep a nirjala (waterless) or phalahara (fruit, milk, and permitted vegetables) fast. The observance begins at sunrise on Ekadashi and is broken the next morning on Dwadashi during the parana window — a specific time after sunrise, before the Dwadashi tithi ends. Breaking the fast at the correct parana time is an essential part of the vrat, which is why the exact tithi timing from a Panchangam matters.
Why Grains Are Avoided
Tradition holds that on Ekadashi the sins of the world take refuge in grains, so consuming them on this day is avoided. Beyond the legend, Ekadashi functions as a monthly reset for body and mind: the light or waterless fast rests the digestive system, and the day of restraint, japa, and reading of the Vishnu Sahasranama turns attention inward. Many devotees pair the fast with a night vigil (jagarana) and temple visits.
The Twelve Shukla Paksha Ekadashis
In the bright fortnights the year's Ekadashis are: Kamada (Chaitra), Mohini (Vaishakha), Nirjala (Jyeshtha), Devshayani or Tholi (Ashadha — Vishnu's cosmic sleep begins), Putrada (Shravana), Parivartini (Bhadrapada), Pasankusha (Ashwayuja), Prabodhini (Karthika — Vishnu awakens), Vaikunta or Mukkoti (Margashira — the gates of Vaikunta open), Putrada (Pushya), Jaya (Magha), and Amalaki (Phalguna). Devshayani and Prabodhini bookend the four-month Chaturmasya period.
The Twelve Krishna Paksha Ekadashis
In the dark fortnights they are: Papmochani (Chaitra), Varuthini (Vaishakha), Apara (Jyeshtha), Yogini (Ashadha), Kamika (Shravana), Aja (Bhadrapada), Indira (Ashwayuja), Rama (Karthika — just before Deepavali), Utpanna (Margashira — the origin of Ekadashi as a deity), Saphala (Pushya), Shat-tila (Magha — the six uses of sesame), and Vijaya (Phalguna — kept by Lord Rama before the war with Ravana). Each carries its own katha (story) and specific fruit of observance.
The Most Significant Ekadashis
While every Ekadashi is meritorious, a few stand out. Vaikunta Ekadashi (Mukkoti) is the grandest, when the Uttara Dwaram at Tirumala and Vishnu temples is opened for darshan. Nirjala Ekadashi, kept entirely without water, is said to grant the merit of all 24. Devshayani (Tholi) Ekadashi marks the start of Chaturmasya and the wedding-free months, and Prabodhini its end and the reopening of the auspicious season. These have their own detailed articles.
How the App Helps
Because Ekadashi timing depends on when the eleventh tithi prevails at sunrise, and occasionally spans or skips a sunrise, the correct vrat day and parana window can be subtle. Mana Panchangam computes each Ekadashi astronomically for your location, shows the exact tithi start and end and the next-day parana timing, and names the Ekadashi and its significance — so you can observe the fast and break it correctly every time.