Nirjala Ekadashi 1976
The waterless fast — hardest and most meritorious of the 24 Ekadashis.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:47
- Fasting window (tithi)00:13 → 21:25
- Parana (tithi ends)21:25
Festival days follow the classical attribution rules — udaya (sunrise), pradosha (evening), nishita (midnight), madhyahna or aparahna vyapini as each festival prescribes — computed for Kashi/Varanasi (IST). Regional observance can differ by a day in some years.
Read the Nirjala Ekadashi puja vidhi, vrat rules and kathaNirjala Ekadashi — Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Nirjala Ekadashi kept without water?
It falls in Jyeshtha, the hottest month, and giving up water when the body most needs it is the offering. Keeping this one waterless fast is said to give the merit of all twenty-four Ekadashis of the year.
Why is it called Bhima Ekadashi?
Because the sage Vyasa told Bhima, who could not fast on every Ekadashi, that he could keep this single day in place of them all — so it also carries his name, Bhimseni or Bhima Ekadashi.
When is the fast broken?
At dawn the next day, within the Dwadashi parana window, after a bath and dana. The parana should not be delayed past the window; the exact time depends on the tithi's end.
Other major festivals in 1976
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 1976
- Vasant Panchami — 5 February 1976
- Maha Shivaratri — 28 February 1976
- Holika Dahan — 15 March 1976
- Holi — 16 March 1976
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 31 March 1976
- Ram Navami — 8 April 1976
- Akshaya Tritiya — 2 May 1976
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 29 June 1976
- Guru Purnima — 11 July 1976
- Nag Panchami — 31 July 1976
- Raksha Bandhan — 9 August 1976
- Krishna Janmashtami — 17 August 1976
- Hartalika Teej — 28 August 1976
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 28 August 1976
- Anant Chaturdashi — 7 September 1976
- Pitru Paksha begins — 9 September 1976
- Sharad Navratri begins — 24 September 1976
- Durga Ashtami — 30 September 1976
- Maha Navami — 1 October 1976
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 2 October 1976
- Karwa Chauth — 12 October 1976
- Dhanteras — 21 October 1976
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 22 October 1976
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 22 October 1976
- Govardhan Puja — 24 October 1976
- Bhai Dooj — 24 October 1976
- Chhath Puja — 28 October 1976
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 6 November 1976
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 6 November 1976
- Hindu Festivals 1976 →