Vrat & Upavas - Fasting Dates & Timings

A vrat is a vow of fasting or restraint kept on a particular lunar day and dedicated to a deity: Ekadashi to Vishnu, Sankashti and Vinayaka Chaturthi to Ganesha, Pradosh to Shiva. It can mean a full fast, a fruit-and-milk fast, or a single meal, depending on the vrat and family tradition.

By tithi, not by the Gregorian date. A tithi does not line up with a calendar day, so each vrat follows a rule about which tithi must prevail and when: at sunrise for Ekadashi, at moonrise for Sankashti Chaturthi, during the evening Pradosh Kaal for Pradosh.

Sunrise, sunset and moonrise times change with location, and the tithi in force at those moments decides the vrat day. When a tithi changes close to sunrise or moonrise, two cities can observe the same vrat on different days. That is why dates here are calculated for your city.

Both are dedicated to Ganesha. Sankashti Chaturthi falls in Krishna Paksha (after Purnima) and the fast is broken after sighting the moon. Vinayaka Chaturthi falls in Shukla Paksha (after Amavasya) and is observed with a midday puja.

Each vrat has its own rule. Ekadashi is broken the next day during the Parana window, Sankashti Chaturthi after moonrise and arghya to the moon, and most others after the evening puja. The individual vrat pages give these timings for your city.

Tradition allows exceptions for children, the elderly, pregnant women and anyone who is unwell. A lighter fast of fruit and milk keeps the spirit of the vrat. If you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before fasting.