Vrat and Festival Calendar

What is a Vrat in Hindu Tradition?

A Vrat is a Hindu fasting observance undertaken on a specific day tied to the lunar calendar, ranging from a strict fast without food or water to a partial one permitting fruit, milk or a single meal, depending on the individual's tradition and capacity. The most widely observed Vrats are Ekadashi (the 11th lunar day) and Pradosh Vrat (the 13th), both occurring twice in every lunar month, once in the waxing Shukla Paksha and once in the waning Krishna Paksha. Vrats are traditionally observed for spiritual discipline and to seek a deity's blessing, and specific ones, Karva Chauth, Navratri, are tied to a particular life event or season rather than repeating every fortnight the way Ekadashi and Pradosh do.

Major Vrats Observed Across the Year

Ekadashi falls twice a month, roughly 24 times a year, occasionally 25 or 26 in a year that includes Adhik Maas, an extra lunar month inserted roughly once every two to three years to keep the lunar calendar aligned with the solar year. Pradosh Vrat also falls twice a month, on the 13th tithi of each paksha, observed at twilight (Pradosh Kaal) rather than through the full day. Karva Chauth falls once a year, on the fourth day of Kartik Krishna Paksha (typically October), when married women traditionally fast from sunrise until moonrise for their husband's wellbeing. Navratri is a nine-day fasting festival observed twice a year at its two major occurrences, Chaitra Navratri in spring and Sharad Navratri in autumn just before Dussehra, with two additional Gupt Navratri periods (Magha and Ashadha) observed by some traditions.

How Vrat and Festival Dates Are Determined

Ekadashi and Pradosh dates on this page follow the Smarta convention, the mainstream civil-calendar reckoning, which checks which tithi is active at a fixed reference hour, 6 AM for Ekadashi and 6 PM for Pradosh, to decide which Gregorian date the Vrat falls on. Vaishnava tradition can observe Ekadashi a day later in some months, so followers of that tradition should cross-check against their own source rather than this page's dates alone. Major festival dates, Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, are fixed the same way, off the day's Tithi, which is why each one lands on a different Gregorian date every year even though its position within the lunar calendar never changes.

Planning Around the Vrat and Festival Calendar

Because Ekadashi and Pradosh recur every two weeks, most households don't need to look them up months in advance the way a wedding date requires, checking a few days ahead is generally enough to plan a fast around work or travel. Annual festivals with a fixed lunar-calendar position but a shifting Gregorian date, Diwali, Holi, Karva Chauth, are worth checking a season ahead instead, since related shopping, travel and time off tend to get planned around the specific date once it's confirmed for the year.