Rama Ekadashi 2026
Rama Ekadashi 2026 falls on Thursday, Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Exact date, puja muhurat & city-wise timings for Rama Ekadashi 2026
Key Information
Festival Date
Thursday, November 5, 2026
2026 Calendar Context
Weekday
Thursday
Vikram Samvat
2083
Shaka Samvat
1948
This year Rama Ekadashi falls on a Thursday, 19 days later than 2025 (2025-10-17) — typical lunar-calendar drift.
Falling on a Thursday brings a Guru (Jupiter) emphasis — guru-related rites, yellow offerings and dharmic decisions carry extra weight.
The 2025 observance fell on Friday, 2025-10-17 — 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, Rama Ekadashi will fall on Monday, 2027-10-25 (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 Rama Ekadashi 2026
On Thursday, November 5, 2026, sunrise in Delhi (the reference city for this page) falls at 06:35 IST and sunset at 17:33 IST — a daylight span of 10h 58m. Across the six pan-Indian cities tabulated below, sunrise on this date varies from 05:43 (Kolkata) at the eastern edge to 06:40 (Mumbai) in the west — a 57-minute difference that drives the city-by-city muhurat shift you see in the table.
For Rama Ekadashi 2026, the central rite of udaya tithi (sunrise) depends on the festival tithi being present during that window on 2026-11-05 — 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 Rama Ekadashi 2026
| City | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 6:35 AM | 5:33 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:40 AM | 6:03 PM |
| Bangalore | 6:14 AM | 5:51 PM |
| Chennai | 6:03 AM | 5:40 PM |
| Kolkata | 5:43 AM | 4:56 PM |
| Pune | 6:36 AM | 6:00 PM |
Why This Date?
Rama 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 with Lakshmi (Rama / wealth-form)
Legend & History
King Muchukunda's daughter Chandrabhaga was married to Shobhana, a king who was constitutionally too weak to fast for a full day. On the Kartika Krishna Ekadashi he attempted to fast at his wife's ins… Read full legend →Show less ↑
King Muchukunda's daughter Chandrabhaga was married to Shobhana, a king who was constitutionally too weak to fast for a full day. On the Kartika Krishna Ekadashi he attempted to fast at his wife's insistence and died from the exertion. Chandrabhaga was distraught. Shobhana, however, was reborn in a celestial city — the merit of attempting the vrata, however imperfectly, granted him a divine birth. Later he met Chandrabhaga's father in dream and was reunited with her through her own subsequent observance. The Brahma Vaivarta Purana preserves this.
How to Observe
Observe Ekadashi fast. Worship Vishnu with Lakshmi (Rama is one of Lakshmi's names). Recite the Vishnu Sahasranama and the Shobhana katha. The vrata is observed by the physically weak, the elderly, and those with chronic illness — the teaching being that even an imperfect attempt brings divine grace. Falls just before Diwali in many calendars, making it the pre-Diwali ekadashi of preparation. Donate generously to those who cannot fast.
Significance
Rama (= Lakshmi in this context, not Lord Rama) emphasises wealth and household prosperity dimensions. Falls in Kartika Krishna, just days before Diwali in most years, framing the ekadashi as spiritual preparation for the festival of lights. The Shobhana teaching is uniquely encouraging: even the failed attempt grants celestial birth — this vrata is the gentlest of the year, especially for those who cannot manage the strictest fasts. Often observed by the household's women on behalf of the whole family.
Fasting
Ekadashi fast – no grains or beans. Even imperfect or modified observance carries merit. Break fast on Dwadashi morning.
Looking for Rama Ekadashi 2027?
Rama Ekadashi 2027 Date & Muhurat