Aja Ekadashi 2026
Aja Ekadashi 2026 falls on Tuesday, Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Exact date, puja muhurat & city-wise timings for Aja Ekadashi 2026
Key Information
Festival Date
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
2026 Calendar Context
Weekday
Tuesday
Vikram Samvat
2083
Shaka Samvat
1948
This year Aja Ekadashi falls on a Tuesday, 19 days later than 2025 (2025-09-17) — typical lunar-calendar drift.
Falling on a Tuesday gives the day a Mangal emphasis — courage-related rites and red offerings carry extra weight.
The 2025 observance fell on Wednesday, 2025-09-17 — this year arrives 19 days later in the Gregorian calendar, the Adhika-masa pattern when an intercalary lunar month pushes the cycle forward.
Looking ahead to 2027, Aja Ekadashi will fall on Sunday, 2027-09-26 (10 days earlier than this year). So planning ritual schedules across years means anchoring to the tithi rather than the Gregorian date.
Astronomical context for Aja Ekadashi 2026
On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, sunrise in Delhi (the reference city for this page) falls at 06:16 IST and sunset at 18:01 IST — a daylight span of 11h 45m. Across the six pan-Indian cities tabulated below, sunrise on this date varies from 05:29 (Kolkata) at the eastern edge to 06:30 (Mumbai) in the west — a 61-minute difference that drives the city-by-city muhurat shift you see in the table.
For Aja Ekadashi 2026, the central rite of udaya tithi (sunrise) depends on the festival tithi being present during that window on 2026-10-06 — confirmed across 6 reference cities in this year's computation pass. Cities further east (Kolkata, Chennai) see the window open ~15-25 minutes before Delhi; cities west of Delhi (Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore) see it start later by a similar margin.
City-Wise Timings for Aja Ekadashi 2026
| City | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 6:16 AM | 6:01 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:30 AM | 6:22 PM |
| Bangalore | 6:09 AM | 6:06 PM |
| Chennai | 5:58 AM | 5:55 PM |
| Kolkata | 5:29 AM | 5:19 PM |
| Pune | 6:26 AM | 6:19 PM |
Why This Date?
Aja Ekadashi follows the Udaya Tithi rule – the festival is observed on the day when the required tithi prevails at sunrise. This is the default Dharmasindhu convention for festivals without a special time-window requirement.
Deity
Lord Vishnu (Aja / unborn / Hari form)
Legend & History
King Harishchandra, sold into slavery to keep his vow of truth, served at a cremation ground as a chandala. Even when asked to perform the rites for his own son's body, he insisted on the proper fee p… Read full legend →Show less ↑
King Harishchandra, sold into slavery to keep his vow of truth, served at a cremation ground as a chandala. Even when asked to perform the rites for his own son's body, he insisted on the proper fee per dharma. Through his unwavering truthfulness he was tested to the limit. Sage Gautama, learning of his suffering, taught him the Bhadrapada Krishna Ekadashi vrata. Harishchandra observed it; the gods, satisfied, restored his son, his kingdom, and his queen Taramati. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana preserves this Harishchandra-cycle account.
How to Observe
Observe Ekadashi fast. Worship Vishnu (Hari form, after whom Harishchandra was named). Recite the Vishnu Sahasranama and the Harishchandra katha. This vrata is especially powerful for those bearing unjust burdens, those who have lost everything through circumstance (not their own fault), and those committed to truth-keeping in difficult times. Donate to those who have suffered loss without recourse.
Significance
Aja = "unborn / eternal" (a name of Vishnu and Brahman). The Harishchandra story illustrates a profound teaching: dharma may demand seemingly unbearable suffering, but the "eternal" (aja) reality ensures that what is lost in such situations is always restored — sometimes in this life, sometimes in liberation. Often observed by those undergoing severe trials, by judges and legal professionals seeking the courage of Harishchandra, and during the Pitru Paksha approach.
Fasting
Ekadashi fast – no grains or beans. Truth-keeping (satya-vrata) is the secondary observance on this day. Break fast on Dwadashi morning.
Looking for Aja Ekadashi 2027?
Aja Ekadashi 2027 Date & Muhurat