Nirjala Ekadashi 2018
The waterless fast — hardest and most meritorious of the 24 Ekadashis.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:08
- Sunset18:51
- Fasting window (tithi)03:19 → 2018-06-24 · 03:52
- Parana (tithi ends)03:522018-06-24
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 2018
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 2018
- Vasant Panchami — 22 January 2018
- Maha Shivaratri — 14 February 2018
- Holika Dahan — 1 March 2018
- Holi — 2 March 2018
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 18 March 2018
- Ram Navami — 25 March 2018
- Akshaya Tritiya — 18 April 2018
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 14 July 2018
- Guru Purnima — 27 July 2018
- Nag Panchami — 15 August 2018
- Raksha Bandhan — 26 August 2018
- Krishna Janmashtami — 2 September 2018
- Hartalika Teej — 12 September 2018
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 13 September 2018
- Anant Chaturdashi — 24 September 2018
- Pitru Paksha begins — 26 September 2018
- Sharad Navratri begins — 10 October 2018
- Durga Ashtami — 17 October 2018
- Maha Navami — 18 October 2018
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 19 October 2018
- Karwa Chauth — 27 October 2018
- Dhanteras — 5 November 2018
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 6 November 2018
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 7 November 2018
- Govardhan Puja — 8 November 2018
- Bhai Dooj — 9 November 2018
- Chhath Puja — 13 November 2018
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 23 November 2018
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 23 November 2018
- Hindu Festivals 2018 →