Apara Ekadashi 2026
Apara Ekadashi 2026 falls on Friday, Friday, July 10, 2026.
Exact date, puja muhurat & city-wise timings for Apara Ekadashi 2026
Key Information
Festival Date
Friday, July 10, 2026
2026 Calendar Context
Weekday
Friday
Vikram Samvat
2083
Shaka Samvat
1948
This year Apara Ekadashi falls on a Friday, 19 days later than 2025 (2025-06-21) — typical lunar-calendar drift.
Falling on a Friday gives the day a Shukra emphasis — relationship-related rites and white/silver offerings carry extra weight, traditionally favourable for women's vratas.
The 2025 observance fell on Saturday, 2025-06-21 — 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, Apara Ekadashi will fall on Tuesday, 2027-06-29 (11 days earlier than this year). So planning ritual schedules across years means anchoring to the tithi rather than the Gregorian date.
Astronomical context for Apara Ekadashi 2026
On Friday, July 10, 2026, sunrise in Delhi (the reference city for this page) falls at 05:30 IST and sunset at 19:22 IST — a daylight span of 13h 52m. Across the six pan-Indian cities tabulated below, sunrise on this date varies from 04:58 (Kolkata) at the eastern edge to 06:07 (Mumbai) in the west — a 69-minute difference that drives the city-by-city muhurat shift you see in the table.
For Apara Ekadashi 2026, the central rite of udaya tithi (sunrise) depends on the festival tithi being present during that window on 2026-07-10 — 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 Apara Ekadashi 2026
| City | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 5:30 AM | 7:22 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:07 AM | 7:20 PM |
| Bangalore | 5:59 AM | 6:50 PM |
| Chennai | 5:48 AM | 6:39 PM |
| Kolkata | 4:58 AM | 6:24 PM |
| Pune | 6:04 AM | 7:15 PM |
Why This Date?
Apara 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 (Trivikrama form, freeing the bound)
Legend & History
King Mahidhwaja's wicked younger brother Vajradhwaja killed him for the throne and buried the body under a pipal tree. Mahidhwaja's soul became a malevolent ghost haunting that tree. Sage Dhaumya, pas… Read full legend →Show less ↑
King Mahidhwaja's wicked younger brother Vajradhwaja killed him for the throne and buried the body under a pipal tree. Mahidhwaja's soul became a malevolent ghost haunting that tree. Sage Dhaumya, passing by, recognised the ghost's plight and performed the Jyeshtha Krishna Ekadashi vrata, transferring the merit to the dead king. The ghost was liberated and ascended. The Padma Purana preserves this account of how the vrata frees not only the observer but also ancestors and stuck souls.
How to Observe
Observe Ekadashi fast with a specific sankalpa for the liberation of a known deceased soul (recently deceased or ancestor whose post-death rites were inadequate). Worship Vishnu with til (sesame) and water offerings. Recite the Vishnu Sahasranama and offer pinda-daana if appropriate. Donate to brahmins specifically requesting prayers for the named deceased. This is a powerful ancestral-liberation vrata.
Significance
Apara = "boundless / immeasurable" — the merit of this vrata is said to be limitless, especially when offered for the liberation of others. The unique feature: this is one of the few ekadashis where the merit can be transferred to dead or stuck souls (parasacrama). Often observed by families dealing with sudden or unsettled deaths, by Pitru Paksha observances, or after consultation with priests about ancestor distress (pitr-dosha).
Fasting
Ekadashi fast – no grains or beans. Transfer of merit to a named deceased soul is a traditional feature. Break fast on Dwadashi morning.
Looking for Apara Ekadashi 2027?
Apara Ekadashi 2027 Date & Muhurat