Vaikunta Ekadashi 2026

Shukla Paksha Ekadashi — tithi timings

Computed from the Moon and Sun positions; printed panchangams may differ by a minute or two. Outside India, the tithi can fall on a different local date — check with your temple.

Timings — select your city

Muhurta Guidance

Ekadashi tithi runs from about 10:11 PM IST on December 19 to about 8:16 PM IST on December 20, 2026, so the fast and Uttara Dwara Darshanam are on December 20. Break the fast on Dwadashi, Monday December 21, after sunrise (about 6:41 AM in Hyderabad) and preferably in the morning; Dwadashi lasts until about 5:38 PM.

Dashami (December 19): eat a single light meal and avoid rice from the evening

Rise before dawn on Ekadashi, bathe and visit a Vishnu temple early for Uttara Dwara Darshanam — the gates open in the early morning hours

Keep the Ekadashi fast: no rice or grains; those who cannot fast fully take fruit, milk or a single phalahara meal

Offer tulasi leaves to Lord Vishnu and chant Vishnu Sahasranamam or "Om Namo Narayanaya"

Read or listen to the Bhagavad Gita — the day is also Gita Jayanti

Stay awake through the night (jagarana) with bhajans and parayanam

Dwadashi (December 21): break the fast (parana) after sunrise, after offering naivedyam, and feed a Brahmin or someone in need

Tirumala — TTD opens the Vaikunta Dwaram around the inner sanctum; in recent years it has stayed open for ten days from Vaikunta Ekadashi, with darshan tokens issued in advance. The utsava murthy is taken around the Mada streets on the golden chariot on Ekadashi, and Chakra Snanam is held at Swami Pushkarini on Dwadashi

Bhadrachalam — Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy is taken out on the Godavari in the Teppotsavam on the eve of Mukkoti Ekadashi, and Uttara Dwara Darshanam is given early on Ekadashi morning, as part of the Adhyayanotsavam

Yadadri (Yadagirigutta), Simhachalam, Mangalagiri, Dwaraka Tirumala and Vishnu temples across both states hold Uttara Dwara Darshanam, with queues from midnight

Dhanurmasam — the day falls in the month of Tiruppavai recitation, early-morning muggulu and Haridasu songs leading up to Sankranti

Families who are not able to travel to a temple light a lamp facing north at home and recite Vishnu Sahasranamam

Phalahara

fruits, milk and dry fruits for those keeping a partial fast

Sabudana kichdi and potato curry

grain-free fasting meals

Chakkera pongali

sweet pongali offered as naivedyam on Dwadashi

Daddojanam

curd rice, offered and shared as prasadam

Pulihora

tamarind rice, a temple prasadam for the day

Usiri (amla) and tulasi teertham

taken at the Dwadashi parana in many families

When is Vaikunta Ekadashi 2026?

Vaikunta (Mukkoti) Ekadashi 2026 is on Sunday, December 20. Ekadashi tithi begins at about 10:11 PM IST on December 19 and ends at about 8:16 PM IST on December 20.

Why is it called Mukkoti Ekadashi?

Mukkoti means three crore. It is believed that the three crore devatas gather in Vaikuntha on this day for the Lord's darshan, and that the gates of Vaikuntha are open — which temples mark by opening the northern Uttara Dwaram.

When should the Vaikunta Ekadashi fast be broken?

On Dwadashi, Monday December 21, 2026, after sunrise (about 6:41 AM in Hyderabad). Dwadashi tithi lasts until about 5:38 PM, and the parana is best done in the morning.

Which day is Vaikunta Ekadashi in the USA in 2026?

In US Eastern and Central time, Ekadashi is still in force at sunrise on Sunday, December 20 (it ends at 9:46 AM ET / 8:46 AM CT), so most temples there observe December 20. On the West Coast it ends at 6:46 AM PT, just before sunrise, so some temples observe Saturday, December 19. Check with your temple.

Is there a Vaikunta Ekadashi in 2027?

No. Vaikunta Ekadashi is the Shukla Ekadashi of Dhanurmasam. In 2027 Mokshada Ekadashi falls on December 9, before the Sun enters Dhanus on December 16, so the next Vaikunta Ekadashi is in early January 2028.