Nirjala Ekadashi 2003
The waterless fast — hardest and most meritorious of the 24 Ekadashis.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:48
- Fasting window (tithi)2003-06-10 · 08:50 → 05:57
- Parana (tithi ends)05:57
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 2003
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 2003
- Vasant Panchami — 6 February 2003
- Maha Shivaratri — 1 March 2003
- Holika Dahan — 17 March 2003
- Holi — 19 March 2003
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 2 April 2003
- Ram Navami — 11 April 2003
- Akshaya Tritiya — 4 May 2003
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 1 July 2003
- Guru Purnima — 13 July 2003
- Nag Panchami — 3 August 2003
- Raksha Bandhan — 12 August 2003
- Krishna Janmashtami — 19 August 2003
- Hartalika Teej — 30 August 2003
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 31 August 2003
- Anant Chaturdashi — 9 September 2003
- Pitru Paksha begins — 11 September 2003
- Sharad Navratri begins — 27 September 2003
- Durga Ashtami — 3 October 2003
- Maha Navami — 4 October 2003
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 4 October 2003
- Karwa Chauth — 14 October 2003
- Dhanteras — 23 October 2003
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 24 October 2003
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 25 October 2003
- Govardhan Puja — 26 October 2003
- Bhai Dooj — 27 October 2003
- Chhath Puja — 30 October 2003
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 8 November 2003
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 8 November 2003
- Hindu Festivals 2003 →