Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the Shukla Ekadashi in the solar month of Dhanu (Margazhi), the day the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open. Vishnu temples such as Tirumala and Srirangam open their northern gate at dawn for darshan. In 2026 it is on Sunday, December 20, 2026 in India and the USA.
Date for India
Sunday, December 20, 2026
Parana Dec 21, 7:10 AM–9:13 AM (New Delhi)
Dates around the world · 2026
| Region | Date | Timings |
|---|---|---|
| IndiaNew Delhi | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 7:10 AM–9:13 AM (New Delhi) |
| USA EastEdison, New Jersey | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 7:17 AM–9:09 AM · Smarta Ekadashi Dec 19 (Edison NJ) |
| USA WestSan Jose, California | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 7:18 AM–9:13 AM · Smarta Ekadashi Dec 19 (San Jose CA) |
| United KingdomLondon | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 8:04 AM–9:38 AM (London) |
| CanadaToronto | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 7:48 AM–9:35 AM · Smarta Ekadashi Dec 19 (Toronto) |
| AustraliaSydney | Sunday, December 20, 2026 | Parana Dec 21, 7:04 AM–8:34 AM (Sydney) |
Date source: drikpanchang.com (New Delhi, Edison, New Jersey, San Jose, California, London, Toronto, Sydney). Dates are taken from the cited published panchang for each region and year; regions we could not verify are left out.
About
Many South Indian families count this as the most important Ekadashi of the year. Devotees fast from grains, stay awake through the night with the Lord's names or the Vishnu Sahasranama, and at dawn walk through the northern gate of a Vishnu temple. At Tirumala this is the Vaikunta Dwaram, and in recent years TTD has kept it open for ten days from Ekadashi. At Srirangam it is the Paramapada Vasal, opened before dawn on Ekadashi, between the Pagal Pathu and Ra Pathu festivals.
In 2026 the day is also Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti in North Indian calendars. The two do not always match. Vaikuntha Ekadashi follows the solar month of Dhanu, so in some years it falls about a month after Mokshada Ekadashi.
How to observe
Tick the steps as you go. The ticks are saved on this device only.
Customs differ by family and region. Follow your family tradition and temple where they differ from these steps.
What you will need
Texts to recite
- Om Jai Jagdish HareOm Jai Jagdish Hare is one of the best-known Hindu aartis, a Hindi hymn to Lord Vishnu as Jagdish, "Lord of the universe", written by Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri of Punjab around 1870. It has a refrain and seven stanzas asking Vishnu to remove sorrow, forgive our faults and increase our faith. Many families close their puja or Satyanarayan katha with it, in India and across the diaspora.
- Sri Venkatesa SuprabhatamThe Sri Venkatesa Suprabhatam is the dawn hymn that wakes Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala every morning, and it is traditionally played or recited before sunrise. Its 29 Sanskrit shlokas were composed in the 15th century by Prativadi Bhayankaram Annan, and it opens with Vishvamitra's words to young Rama from the Ramayana, "Kausalya supraja Rama". This page has these 29 shlokas; the Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam that follow in the morning recitation are not here yet.
Questions
When is Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in India?
Sunday, December 20, 2026 (New Delhi panchang). The fast is broken the next morning, Monday, December 21, between 7:10 and 9:13 AM.
What is the Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 date in the USA?
Sunday, December 20, 2026, in both New Jersey and California. Parana on Monday, December 21 is 7:17 to 9:09 AM in Edison NJ and 7:18 to 9:13 AM in San Jose CA. Some US calendars show a Smarta Ekadashi on Saturday, December 19; see the next question.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 date in the UK, Canada and Australia?
Sunday, December 20, 2026 in London, Toronto and Sydney. Parana on December 21 is 8:04 to 9:38 AM in London, 7:48 to 9:35 AM in Toronto and 7:04 to 8:34 AM in Sydney.
Why do some calendars show Saturday, December 19?
Smarta and Vaishnava traditions use slightly different rules for Ekadashi. Vaishnavas avoid an Ekadashi that is touched by Dashami before sunrise, so when that happens they fast the next day. In 2026, in New Jersey, California and Toronto, the Smarta Ekadashi is Saturday and the Vaishnava one is Sunday. Vishnu temples generally keep the Vaishnava date, so ask your temple which day it opens the Vaikuntha Dwaram.
When is the Vaikuntha Dwaram opened?
Before dawn on Ekadashi. At Tirumala, TTD has kept it open for ten days from Ekadashi in recent years, with tokens given out in advance. Temples abroad set their own darshan times, so check with yours.
Is Vaikuntha Ekadashi the same as Mokshada Ekadashi?
In 2026, yes: both fall on December 20. But not every year. Mokshada is fixed by the lunar month of Margashirsha, while Vaikuntha Ekadashi is fixed by the solar month of Dhanu, so in some years they are about a month apart.
Is there a Vaikuntha Ekadashi in 2027?
No. This season's falls on December 20, 2026, and the next one falls in 2028.