Nirjala Ekadashi 2012
The waterless fast — hardest and most meritorious of the 24 Ekadashis.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:44
- Fasting window (tithi)2012-05-31 · 09:21 → 06:32
- Parana (tithi ends)06:32
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 2012
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2012
- Vasant Panchami — 28 January 2012
- Maha Shivaratri — 20 February 2012
- Holika Dahan — 7 March 2012
- Holi — 9 March 2012
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 23 March 2012
- Ram Navami — 1 April 2012
- Akshaya Tritiya — 24 April 2012
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 21 June 2012
- Guru Purnima — 3 July 2012
- Nag Panchami — 24 July 2012
- Raksha Bandhan — 2 August 2012
- Krishna Janmashtami — 8 September 2012
- Hartalika Teej — 18 September 2012
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 19 September 2012
- Anant Chaturdashi — 29 September 2012
- Pitru Paksha begins — 1 October 2012
- Sharad Navratri begins — 16 October 2012
- Durga Ashtami — 22 October 2012
- Maha Navami — 23 October 2012
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 24 October 2012
- Karwa Chauth — 2 November 2012
- Dhanteras — 11 November 2012
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 13 November 2012
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 13 November 2012
- Govardhan Puja — 14 November 2012
- Bhai Dooj — 15 November 2012
- Chhath Puja — 19 November 2012
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 28 November 2012
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 28 November 2012
- Hindu Festivals 2012 →