Vaikuntha Ekadashi is most important Ekadashi  that is observed and it falls on the ‘Ekadashi’ (11th day) of the Shukla Paksha (the waxing phase of moon) in the month of ‘Pausha’ in the Hindu calendar. This dates also correspond to the months of December to January in the Gregorian calendar.

The day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi is auspicious for Vaishnavism followers as it is believed that ‘Vaikuntha Dwaram’ that is the gateway to Lord Vishnu’s abode, opens up on this day. And it is believed that a person who does a sacred fast on Vaikuntha Ekadashi will definitely reach the ‘Vaikuntha’ and never has to face Yama Dharma Raja, the Lord of Death. The region that is encircling the temple is known as ‘Vaikuntha Vaasal’ and Devotees throng to enter this area and seek Lord Vishnu’s blessings.

Hindu devotees observe Vaikuntha Ekadashi with full enthusiasm and zeal all over the country. In the southern states of India, x. On this day special prayers, discourses, speeches and yagnas are organized at the temple of Lord Vishnu, in different parts of the world. In India, the celebrations in the temples of ‘Tirumala Venkateswar Temple’ at Tirumala, the ‘Mahalakshmi Temple’ at Gubbi , the ‘Sri Ranganatha  Swamy Temple’ at Sri Rangam and ‘Raja Gopala Swamy Temple’ at Mannargudi is very renowned.

For all the devotees, Ekadasi  means a change of diet. Many  of them hardly even notice Ekadasi coming and going. But Ekadsi observance means more than refraining from eating grains. The traditional system of Ekadsi vrata is to fast and stay awake all night chanting the Lord’s glories. Need to take g only one simple meal before nightfall on Dasami (the day before Ekadasi), and a similar simple meal on Dvadasi (the day after Ekadasi. In Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekadasi day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not only  just to fast, but to increase one’s faith and love towards Govinda, or Krishna. The true reason for observing fasting on Ekadasi is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing the similar service.  Ekadasi means that, fasting and chanting. On the Ekadasi day can be seen as an austerity – not eating grains or not using your favourite spices; it is like the poison which turns out to be nectar. The tongue is the most voracious and difficult one  to control of all the five  senses but Krishna send’s his Prasad just to help us conquer this fickle friend

There are two Ekadasi days for each month and they are astronomically calculated according to the Moon. The word Ekadasi literally means the eleventh day, eka (one) + das (ten) = eleven. So an Ekadasi generally falls eleven days after a full Moon and eleven days after a new Moon. But there are sometimes exceptions to the rule.

Actually, on Ekadasi day we should not take any food or even drink water. But in this Society we are not observing it so strictly. We say that on Ekadasi you should not take any food grains but you may take a little fruit and milk. This is like a tapasya.

Whichever day the fast takes place one should fast from Sunrise to Sunrise. It’s good practice to abstain from the grains the previous evening so there will not be grain in your system the following morning. Throughout the day of fasting.

By concentrating the focus of our activities on Ekadasi the charming paramour known as Krishna will be most pleased and His divine consort Srimati Radharani hearing of our endeavour will indubitably bestow her merciful glance upon us in the form of seva-bhavana

As fire can immediately burn a great pile of cotton, so even just one Ekadasi can burn the great Mount Meru of sins accumulated over one hundred births. Medically to fast a day once a week or a fortnight and start next day with liquid are said to be extremely good for health, body and mind. The energy of the whole body system gets distributed equally if a particular limb is not given any inordinate work. So, when you fas the energy is equally distributed as the digestive function will not be there.