Vrat · Magha Krishna Ekadashi
Vijaya Ekadashi 2026
Magha Krishna Ekadashi is Vijaya Ekadashi: the fast Rama kept before crossing to Lanka. The name says it all: victory!
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Quick facts
- Also known asMagha Krishna Ekadashi
- WhereAll of India; in the north it falls in Phalguna Krishna
- Puja forVishnu (Narayana); in Maharashtra, Vitthal
- In one lineRama faced the sea with no way across. He kept this vow on a sage's word, and won.
Vijaya Ekadashi, in a little more detail
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About the festival
Vijaya means the one who brings victory. This Ekadashi is in the dark half of Magha, and Mahashivratri follows a few days later.
The fast is the usual one, broken on Dwadashi. What sets this one apart is its kalash puja, and its story.
The lesson in the story: even God, facing a problem, first asked someone wise. Before a big task, stop, ask, and then take the step.
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Rama and the sage Bakadalbhya
Ravana had taken Sita to Lanka. Hanuman found her, and Rama reached the shore with the monkey army. But before him lay the endless sea. How to get across?
Lakshmana said: an old, wise sage named Bakadalbhya lives nearby. Let us ask him. The sage gave Rama the vow of Vijaya Ekadashi: the day before, a pot filled with water, set on a heap of seven grains. On it an image of Narayana, puja on Ekadashi, and a night awake.
Rama did just that. On Dwadashi he took the pot to a riverbank, worshipped it and gave it away. And after that Rama defeated Ravana. That's why it's called Vijaya Ekadashi.
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In Maharashtra and beyond
Varkaris keep it as always: the fast, the Haripath and bhajans to Vitthal.
Some homes set up the kalash as the story tells: mango leaves, a garland of flowers, and barley, a pomegranate or a coconut on the lid.
In the north the month ends on the full moon, so there this is Phalguna Krishna Ekadashi. The name and the story stay the same.
How to do the puja
In short: A light meal on Dashami, the fast and the Name on Ekadashi, and parana after sunrise on Dwadashi.
- 1Eat light the day before, on Dashami.One simple meal is enough. Nothing heavy at night, so your stomach is light on Ekadashi.
- 2Pick the tulsi leaves for the puja the day before.In many homes tulsi is not plucked on Ekadashi.
- 3Bathe in the morning on Ekadashi and make your sankalp for the fast.Decide in your mind: no water at all, water only, fruit and milk, or one fasting meal.
- 4Worship Vishnu or Vitthal.Offer a lamp, incense, sandalwood paste, flowers and tulsi leaves, with fruit or milk as naivedya.
- 5Keep the fast you chose through the day.Leave out rice, wheat, jowar, bajra and dals. Offer your fasting food to God first, then eat.
- 6Spend the day with the name.The Haripath, the Vishnu Sahasranama, bhajans, or the story of that Ekadashi on this page.
- 7In the evening, light the lamp again and do the aarti.Many stay up singing bhajans (jagran). If you work tomorrow, a little while is enough.
- 8Break the fast after sunrise on Dwadashi.If your panchang gives a parana time, keep to it. Offer naivedya first, then eat.
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Frequently asked questions
What can I eat on the fast?
It depends on the fast you keep: nothing, water only, fruit and milk, or one fasting meal. A fasting meal can have sabudana, vari bhagar, sweet potato, potato and peanuts. No grains and no dals.
Can I drink water?
Yes, unless you keep it nirjala. The strictest fast has no water until sunrise on Dwadashi, but most people keep a lighter one.
When do I break the fast?
After sunrise on Dwadashi: this is the parana. If the first part of Dwadashi, the harivasar, runs past sunrise, wait until it ends. Your panchang gives the time.
Why does Ekadashi sometimes have two dates?
When a tithi is lost or doubled, the Smarta and Bhagwat (Warkari) traditions follow different rules, so their Ekadashis can fall on different days. Follow your family’s tradition.
Who need not fast?
The sick, pregnant women and anyone with a health problem need not fast, nor young children and the very old. They can have milk and fruit and keep the day with prayer. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor first.
What if I break the fast by mistake?
Don't worry. Ask God's forgiveness, spend the rest of the day in prayer, and keep the next Ekadashi well.
Dates in 2026
1 times this year, timed for Delhi.
Dates by city in 2026
In these cities the dates below differ from Delhi; the rest are the same.
Dates in 2027
1 times in 2027, timed for Delhi.
Set a reminder in the app
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