The Ekadashi of Magha Krishna paksha.
For New Delhi, in IST. A tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere; the day a vrat falls on, and its hours, are New Delhi’s and can differ by a day abroad.
Its name is from til, sesame, which is used in six ways on this day: in the bath water, as a paste on the body, in the havan, in the water offered to the ancestors, in food, and as daan.
Plenty: til (sesame) is used and given in six ways, and in its katha the house was filled.
Pulastya tells Dalbhya of a brahmin woman who kept every fast and vrat with devotion but never gave food to anyone. Vishnu came to her door as a mendicant to test her, and she put a lump of clay in his bowl.
After her death she reached heaven, but her house there was empty. Vishnu told her to ask the divine women who came to see her about the Shattila Ekadashi. She kept it, with til given and used as the vrat asks, and her house was filled.
Retold from the Ekadashi Mahatmya in the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana, where Shri Krishna tells Yudhishthira the story and the merit of each Ekadashi.
Beyond that, it is kept as every Ekadashi is: one sattvik meal without rice on Dashami, the sankalp at dawn, Vishnu’s puja with tulsi picked the day before, the katha, and no grain until parana, with fruit, milk, sabudana, kuttu and singhara in its place. The Ekadashi page has every step and the full lists of what to eat and avoid.
Hari Vasara, the first quarter of Dwadashi, is over by 2 Feb, 5:51 PM, before sunrise, so the fast is broken in pratahkal, the first fifth of the day: 7:09 AM to 9:18 AM on Wednesday, 3 February, in New Delhi.
Shattila Ekadashi 2027 is on Tuesday, 2 February 2027, in New Delhi. Ekadashi runs from 1 Feb, 8:41 AM to 2 Feb, 11:10 AM.
On Wednesday, 3 February, 7:09 AM to 9:18 AM, in New Delhi. Break the fast after sunrise, once Hari Vasara is over and before Dwadashi ends.
Wednesday, 14 January 2026, in New Delhi; parana on 15 January, 7:15 AM to 9:21 AM.
Saturday, 22 January 2028, in New Delhi; parana on 23 January, 7:14 AM to 9:21 AM.
Magh Krishna Ekadashi, in the North Indian Purnimanta calendar. In the Amanta calendar of the south and west it falls in the month before, since the Krishna paksha there takes the earlier month’s name; the date is the same.
Yes, unless you have taken the nirjala sankalp. Most families keep Ekadashi with water and fruit (phalahar); only Nirjala Ekadashi in Jyeshtha is traditionally kept without water. Decide which kind of fast you are keeping at the sankalp.
Tradition keeps every grain out of the Ekadashi fast, and rice most of all; the Puranas say that on this day sin takes refuge in grain. Families who do not fast still usually skip rice that day.
Parana is breaking the fast on Dwadashi, within the time given for each date. If the window passes, break it as soon as you can while Dwadashi lasts, with water and a little prasad. Breaking it after Dwadashi has ended is what tradition counts as a fault.
Make your free kundli, or ask any of 24 astrologers which graha a vrat would strengthen for you. You pay by the minute.


