Dev Uthani Ekadashi 2026 Date: 20 November (Prabodhini Ekadashi)
Dev Uthani (Devutthana) Ekadashi 2026 is on Friday, 20 November 2026 for most households in India (Smarta tradition). Vaishnava followers, including ISKCON, observe it on Saturday, 21 November 2026, the same day as Tulsi Vivah.
| Ekadashi (Smarta) | Friday, 20 November 2026 |
| Ekadashi (Vaishnava) | Saturday, 21 November 2026 |
| Also known as | Prabodhini Ekadashi, Devotthan Ekadashi, Kartiki Ekadashi |
| Tithi | Kartik Shukla Ekadashi |
| Tulsi Vivah | Saturday, 21 November 2026 |
Dates for New Delhi from Drik Panchang. Parana (fast-breaking) times depend on your location; check a local panchang for the exact window on the next morning.
Why is Dev Uthani Ekadashi important?
According to tradition, Lord Vishnu goes into yoga-nidra (cosmic sleep) on Devshayani Ekadashi in Ashadha and awakens four months later on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi. This awakening ends Chaturmas, the four-month period in which weddings, griha pravesh and other major ceremonies are usually avoided. From this day the Hindu wedding season begins.
Why are there two Ekadashi dates?
Smarta and Vaishnava traditions use different rules for which day counts as Ekadashi when the tithi spans two sunrises. Vaishnavas avoid an Ekadashi that is touched by Dashami at sunrise (Arunodaya) and keep the fast on the following day. In 2026 the Vaishnava calendar lists the fast on 21 November. Follow the date your family or temple uses.
How it is observed
- Fast: devotees fast from sunrise, either nirjala (without water), on fruit and milk, or avoiding grains and beans.
- Awakening Vishnu: in the evening an image of Vishnu or Shaligram is worshipped; in North India the deity is “woken” with songs, conch and bells, often with sugarcane, water chestnuts and new seasonal produce.
- Lamps and vigil: many homes light lamps and keep a night vigil with bhajans.
- Parana: the fast is broken the next morning during the Dwadashi parana window, after sunrise.
- Pandharpur: in Maharashtra, Kartiki Ekadashi draws large numbers of Warkari pilgrims to the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dev Uthani Ekadashi on 20 or 21 November 2026?
20 November for Smarta households and 21 November for Vaishnava (including ISKCON) followers, per Drik Panchang for New Delhi.
Do weddings start after Dev Uthani Ekadashi?
Yes, the end of Chaturmas on this day traditionally opens the wedding season, although specific wedding muhurats are chosen from the panchang.
Related guides
- Tulsi Vivah 2026
- Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali 2026
- Hindu festivals in November 2026
- Puja and vrat guides
