Gita Jayanti 2026 Date: 20 December (Mokshada Ekadashi)
Gita Jayanti 2026 is on Sunday, 20 December 2026. It falls on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, which is also observed as Mokshada Ekadashi and, in South India, Vaikuntha Ekadashi.
| Date | Sunday, 20 December 2026 |
| Tithi | Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi |
| Same day | Mokshada Ekadashi; Vaikuntha Ekadashi (South India) |
| Main celebration | Kurukshetra (Haryana) and ISKCON temples worldwide |
What is Gita Jayanti?
Gita Jayanti marks the day on which, according to tradition, Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, at the start of the Mahabharata war. The Gita’s 700 verses in 18 chapters address duty (dharma), action without attachment, devotion and the nature of the self.
Kurukshetra hosts the International Gita Mahotsav around this date, with recitations, a Gita yagya and cultural programmes at Brahma Sarovar. ISKCON temples hold Gita marathons and distribute copies of the text.
Mokshada and Vaikuntha Ekadashi
The same Ekadashi is called Mokshada (“granting liberation”) Ekadashi, and many devotees fast for the day. In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, Vaikuntha Ekadashi is especially important: Vishnu temples such as Srirangam and Tirumala open the Vaikuntha Dwaram (gate to Vaikuntha), and devotees queue through the night for darshan. In some years Vaikuntha Ekadashi, which follows the solar month of Dhanu, falls on a different Ekadashi.
How Gita Jayanti is observed
- Reading or chanting the Bhagavad Gita, in full or selected chapters (Chapter 12 and 15 are popular).
- Worship of Krishna and of the Gita as a sacred text.
- Ekadashi fasting, broken the next morning in the parana window.
- Discourses, quizzes and Gita recitation events in temples and schools.
Frequently asked questions
When is Gita Jayanti 2026?
Sunday, 20 December 2026.
Is Vaikuntha Ekadashi the same as Gita Jayanti in 2026?
Calendars for 2026 list Vaikuntha Ekadashi on the same day as Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti, 20 December. Check your temple’s calendar, as South Indian temples follow the solar month.
Related guides
- Vivah Panchami 2026
- Dattatreya Jayanti 2026
- Dev Uthani Ekadashi 2026
- Hindu festivals in December 2026
