Ashwin Krishna Ekadashi (amanta: Bhadrapada)
Indira Ekadashi
Indira Ekadashi falls on the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin, within Pitru Paksha, the fortnight given to the ancestors. Its merit is kept not for oneself but for the departed.
2026
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
2027
Sunday, 26 September 2027
The day at a glance
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Significance
The katha is of Indrasena, king of Mahishmati, whom Narada told that his father was held in Yama’s realm; the king kept this fast and offered what it earned, and his father was released. It is the Ekadashi whose whole purpose is turned outward and backward, to those already gone.
How Indira Ekadashi is observed
Devotees fast from grains, perform the shraddha rites of the fortnight, feed brahmins and the poor, and offer the day’s merit to the ancestors. The fast is broken on Dwadashi morning, after the offerings are made.
FAQ
Why is Indira Ekadashi kept for the ancestors?
It falls inside Pitru Paksha, and its katha is of a king who freed his father from Yama’s realm by offering up the merit of this fast.
Who observes it?
Traditionally those already performing the shraddha rites of Pitru Paksha, who add this fast to the fortnight’s offerings.
Which lunar month is it in?
The dark fortnight of Ashwin in the purnimanta reckoning this site follows; amanta almanacs list the same day under Bhadrapada.
Around the same season
Plan around Indira Ekadashi
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