Nirjala Ekadashi 1997
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)03:18 → 1997-06-17 · 04:14
- Parana (tithi ends)04:141997-06-17
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 1997
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 1997
- Vasant Panchami — 11 February 1997
- Maha Shivaratri — 7 March 1997
- Holika Dahan — 23 March 1997
- Holi — 25 March 1997
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 8 April 1997
- Ram Navami — 16 April 1997
- Akshaya Tritiya — 9 May 1997
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 6 July 1997
- Guru Purnima — 20 July 1997
- Nag Panchami — 8 August 1997
- Raksha Bandhan — 18 August 1997
- Krishna Janmashtami — 24 August 1997
- Hartalika Teej — 5 September 1997
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 6 September 1997
- Anant Chaturdashi — 15 September 1997
- Pitru Paksha begins — 17 September 1997
- Sharad Navratri begins — 2 October 1997
- Durga Ashtami — 9 October 1997
- Maha Navami — 10 October 1997
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 11 October 1997
- Karwa Chauth — 19 October 1997
- Dhanteras — 28 October 1997
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 30 October 1997
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 30 October 1997
- Govardhan Puja — 1 November 1997
- Bhai Dooj — 2 November 1997
- Chhath Puja — 6 November 1997
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 14 November 1997
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 14 November 1997
- Hindu Festivals 1997 →