Vrat & Upavas
Vrat and upavas are the fasts and observances of the Hindu year. Most follow a tithi, such as ekadashi, purnima, amavasya or pradosham, so their dates come from the lunar day that is running at a particular time. This page lists the vrats with their dates, from monthly observances to the major annual ones.
Dates and times are worked out for your place, because a tithi can begin and end at different times in different cities.
- Sankashti ChaturthiThe monthly fast to Ganesha on the waning moon's fourth tithi.
- Ekadashi DatesThe ekadashi fasts of both fortnights, with parana times.
- Dwadashi DatesSoonThe dwadashi dates that follow each ekadashi.
- Purnima DatesFull moon dates and their vrat.
- Amavasya DatesNew moon dates and their rituals.
- Ganesha ChaturthiThe vinayaka chaturthi dates on the waxing moon.
- Chandra DarshanThe first sighting of the new moon.
- Pradosham DatesThe pradosham fast to Shiva at twilight.
- Sankranti DatesThe dates when the sun enters a new zodiac sign.
- Satyanarayana PujaSoonThe days for the Satyanarayana puja.
- Masik ShivaratriThe monthly Shivaratri on the 14th tithi of the waning moon.
- Masik DurgashtamiThe monthly Durga observance on the eighth tithi.
- Masik KalashtamiThe monthly Kalashtami for Kala Bhairava.
- Skanda SashtiSoonThe sixth-tithi observance for Lord Murugan.
- Karthigai DatesSoonThe monthly Karthigai observance.
- Shraddha DatesSoonThe Pitru Paksha shraddha dates for ancestors.
- Janmashtami DatesThe birth festival of Lord Krishna.
- ISKCON EkadashiSoonThe ekadashi list as followed by ISKCON.
- Vrat KathaSoonThe stories told on the day of each vrat.
Questions about Vrat & Upavas
- How are vrat dates decided?
- A vrat is observed on the day when its tithi is present at the time prescribed for it, such as sunrise or sunset, so the date follows the panchang.
- Why can the ekadashi date differ between traditions?
- Smarta and Vaishnava traditions apply different rules for when ekadashi begins, so the observance can fall on different days.
- What is a vrat katha?
- A vrat katha is the story read or heard on the day of a vrat, which explains its origin and merit.