Nirjala Ekadashi 1986
The waterless fast — hardest and most meritorious of the 24 Ekadashis.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:50
- Fasting window (tithi)01:54 → 23:19
- Parana (tithi ends)23:19
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 1986
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 1986
- Vasant Panchami — 13 February 1986
- Maha Shivaratri — 8 March 1986
- Holika Dahan — 25 March 1986
- Holi — 27 March 1986
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 10 April 1986
- Ram Navami — 18 April 1986
- Akshaya Tritiya — 11 May 1986
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 9 July 1986
- Guru Purnima — 21 July 1986
- Nag Panchami — 10 August 1986
- Raksha Bandhan — 19 August 1986
- Krishna Janmashtami — 27 August 1986
- Hartalika Teej — 7 September 1986
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 7 September 1986
- Anant Chaturdashi — 17 September 1986
- Pitru Paksha begins — 19 September 1986
- Sharad Navratri begins — 4 October 1986
- Durga Ashtami — 10 October 1986
- Maha Navami — 11 October 1986
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 12 October 1986
- Karwa Chauth — 21 October 1986
- Dhanteras — 30 October 1986
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 1 November 1986
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 1 November 1986
- Govardhan Puja — 3 November 1986
- Bhai Dooj — 3 November 1986
- Chhath Puja — 7 November 1986
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 16 November 1986
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 16 November 1986
- Hindu Festivals 1986 →