Kamada Ekadashi 2027: Date, Vrat Katha, Puja Vidhi, Parana and Wish Fulfilment

Kamada Ekadashi (कामदा एकादशी) is the Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Chaitra, and it is regarded as the first Ekadashi of the Hindu new year (Vikram Samvat). “Kamada” means “the giver of wishes”, so tradition holds this fast to be especially meaningful for fulfilling good wishes, freeing one from sins and easing the effect of curses and doshas.

It falls just a few days after Chaitra Navratri and Ram Navami, so devotees see it as a chance to offer the first Ekadashi of the new year at the feet of Lord Vishnu. In the Gregorian calendar it usually comes in late March or April.

On this page you will find the Kamada Ekadashi date and parana time, the vrat katha of the gandharva Lalit and his wife Lalita, the puja vidhi, a samagri list, mantras, fasting rules and what tradition says about wish fulfilment, all in one place.

Kamada Ekadashi 2027 Date: Tithi and Parana Time

Kamada Ekadashi of 2026 has already passed. The next Kamada Ekadashi is on Saturday, 17 April 2027. For New Delhi, the Ekadashi tithi begins at about 11:21 AM on 16 April 2027 and ends at about 9:27 AM on 17 April, with parana on the morning of 18 April.

The table above updates automatically and shows the fasting date and exact parana time for your city, along with the dates for the coming years. When the Smarta (householder) and Vaishnava (ISKCON and others) dates differ, follow your family or guru’s tradition; the table shows both days.

Meaning of Kamada Ekadashi and Other Names

“Kamada” joins two words: “kama” (desire or wish) and “da” (one who gives). So Kamada Ekadashi means “the Ekadashi that is believed to fulfil a devotee’s good wishes.” In the katha, it is this very fast that fulfils Lalita’s greatest wish: her husband’s release from a curse.

It is also called Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi, and because Ekadashi is called “Gyaras” in everyday Hindi, many people know it as “Kamada Gyaras”. ISKCON and Vaishnava calendars often spell it “Kamada Ekadasi”. As the first Ekadashi after the Hindu new year, people also simply call it “the new year’s first Ekadashi”.

Which Month Does Kamada Ekadashi Fall In?

Kamada Ekadashi falls every year on the Ekadashi tithi of Chaitra Shukla Paksha. The Shukla Paksha carries the same month name in both the Purnimanta calendar of North India and the Amanta calendar of South and West India, so it is Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi everywhere.

The Ekadashi just before it, Papmochani Ekadashi, is Chaitra Krishna in the Purnimanta calendar and Phalguna Krishna in the Amanta calendar. After Kamada comes Varuthini Ekadashi in Vaishakha Krishna Paksha.

Significance of Kamada Ekadashi

Religious Significance

According to tradition, the Kamada Ekadashi fast destroys sins and fulfils the good wishes of the heart. In the katha it frees a being even from a demon birth, so devotees associate it with easing curses, doshas and major obstacles in life.

Being the first Ekadashi of the new year adds a special feeling. Just as people make good resolutions at the start of a year, this fast is seen as an auspicious start to the year’s Ekadashi vows. Many devotees take a sankalp on this day to keep all the Ekadashis of the year.

Spiritual Message

At the heart of the katha is Lalita’s selfless love and patience. She fasted not for herself but for her husband, and then gave away the merit to him. It teaches that the truest wish is one tied to the welfare of others.

The second message is about focus. Lalit was cursed because his mind wandered while he was doing his duty. The Ekadashi fast is practice in turning the mind away from the senses and towards God, so that we are fully present in both our work and our devotion.

Mention in the Puranas

By tradition, the Kamada Ekadashi katha is linked to the Varaha Purana, where Lord Krishna explains its glory to King Yudhishthira. Some sources also connect it with the Ekadashi mahatmya of the Padma Purana. Within the story, the account was first told by sage Vasishtha to King Dilipa.

The katha closes by saying no vow in the three worlds equals this one, and that reading or hearing its story brings merit equal to a Vajapeya yajna. This is the traditional mahatmya, read with faith.

Kamada Ekadashi Vrat Katha

King Yudhishthira asked Lord Krishna, “O Vasudeva, what is the name of the Ekadashi in the bright fortnight of Chaitra? What is its method and what is its fruit?” Krishna replied, “O King, King Dilipa once asked his guru, sage Vasishtha, this very question. Let me tell you the story he told.”

Vasishtha said, “O King, the Ekadashi of Chaitra Shukla Paksha is called Kamada. It destroys sins and is said to fulfil the good wishes of those who keep it. Listen carefully to its story.”

Long ago there was a beautiful city called Bhogipur, ruled by King Pundarika. In many versions the city is called Ratnapura. It was adorned with gold and silver, and many apsaras, kinnaras and gandharvas lived there. Music and song filled King Pundarika’s court.

In that city lived a gandharva named Lalit, a singer with a sweet voice. His wife Lalita was a beautiful and gifted dancer; some versions call her the daughter of the gandharva Viradhanva. Their love was so deep that even a short separation left them restless.

One day Lalit was singing with other gandharvas in King Pundarika’s court while Lalita was away. As he sang, his thoughts drifted to his wife. His voice faltered, he lost the rhythm and melody, and the song fell apart.

A serpent named Karkotaka, sitting in the court, noticed the mistake and told the king the reason: Lalit’s mind was on his wife, not his song. King Pundarika flew into a rage. “You think of your wife even while singing before me! Become a man-eating demon and suffer for what you have done.”

The moment the curse was spoken, Lalit became a terrifying rakshasa. His face turned fearsome, his eyes blazed like the sun and moon, fire poured from his mouth, and his body stretched across eight yojanas. His graceful gandharva form was gone, and he wandered in misery, regretting his lapse.

Seeing her husband in this state, Lalita was heartbroken. Yet she did not leave him. She followed him through dense forests, while the demon Lalit found no peace by day or night.

Wandering, Lalita one day reached the Vindhyachal hills, where sage Shringi had his ashram. She bowed and stood humbly before him. The sage asked kindly, “Who are you, whose daughter are you, and why have you come here? Tell me truly.”

With folded hands Lalita said, “O sage, I am Lalita. My husband Lalit has become a fearsome demon because of King Pundarika’s curse. My heart breaks to see him so. Please tell me a way to free him from this demon form.”

Sage Shringi said, “Daughter of the gandharvas, Kamada Ekadashi of Chaitra Shukla Paksha is near. Keeping this fast fulfils all one’s undertakings. Observe it properly and offer its merit to your husband. By its power he will be freed, and the king’s curse will be pacified.”

Hope returned to Lalita. When Kamada Ekadashi came, she fasted with full devotion, worshipped Lord Vasudeva and remembered the Lord through the night. On Dwadashi, before the Brahmins, the deity of Lord Vasudeva and sage Shringi, she prayed with folded hands: “By the merit of the Kamada Ekadashi fast I have kept, may my husband be freed from the demon form.”

As soon as she spoke, Lalit’s demon form fell away. He regained his gandharva form, more radiant than before. Adorned with fine clothes and ornaments, Lalit and Lalita rose to heaven in a celestial vimana. Some versions say they went to Vishnu’s abode.

Vasishtha concluded, “O King, whoever keeps Kamada Ekadashi properly is freed from sins and from low births such as that of a demon. Whoever reads or hears this story gains merit equal to a Vajapeya yajna.” In this way Krishna told Yudhishthira the glory of Kamada Ekadashi.

Lessons from the Kamada Ekadashi Katha

• Focus in duty: Lalit’s fault was a wandering mind while working. Doing any task wholeheartedly is itself a spiritual practice.
• Selfless love: Lalita gave her merit to her husband. A vrat is most beautiful when it is kept for someone else’s good.
• Patience and guidance: In crisis, Lalita did not give up and sought a wise sage’s advice.
• The cost of anger: One moment of the king’s anger changed a life. The story reminds us not to speak harshly in anger.

Characters and Places in the Lalit-Lalita Katha: Versions Compared

The katha appears with small differences across texts and regions. The core story is the same everywhere; only some names and details change.

Detail	Most common version	In some traditions
Narrator	Krishna to Yudhishthira	Krishna to Arjuna
Original telling	Vasishtha to King Dilipa	—
City	Bhogipur	Ratnapura
King	Pundarika	—
Gandharva couple	Lalit (singer) and Lalita (dancer)	Lalita named as daughter of Viradhanva
Who reported the lapse	Karkotaka the serpent	—
Curse	By King Pundarika, to become a man-eating demon	—
Sage and place	Shringi, Vindhyachal hills	—
Ending	To heaven in a celestial vimana	To Vishnu’s abode
Merit of hearing	Equal to a Vajapeya yajna	Endless merit

Kamada Ekadashi Puja Vidhi (Step by Step)

On Kamada Ekadashi, Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his Vasudeva or Krishna form. The steps below are easy to follow at home; adjust them to your family tradition or your pandit’s guidance.

1. Dashami preparation: On the day before, eat a simple sattvic meal, ideally once and before sunset. Avoid onion, garlic, meat and alcohol, and keep self-restraint. Pick tulsi leaves on Dashami itself, since tradition forbids plucking tulsi on Ekadashi.
2. Morning bath: Rise in Brahma muhurta, bathe and wear clean clothes, yellow if possible. Clean the puja space and sprinkle Ganga jal.
3. Sankalp: Hold water, akshat and a flower, say your name, gotra and the tithi, and resolve: “I keep the Kamada Ekadashi fast for the pleasure of Lord Vishnu.” Place your good wish before the Lord and decide the type of fast.
4. Altar: Spread a yellow cloth on a chowki and place an image of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. You may add a kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut.
5. Abhishek and shringar: Bathe the deity with panchamrit and then clean water. Offer yellow sandalwood, akshat, yellow flowers, a garland and cloth.
6. Lamp and bhog: Light a ghee lamp and incense. Offer fruit, sweets and panchamrit, always with a tulsi leaf, which is very dear to Vishnu.
7. Katha and path: Read or listen to the Kamada Ekadashi vrat katha. If you can, recite the Vishnu Sahasranama or a chapter of the Gita, or chant the Lord’s name.
8. Aarti: Close with Om Jai Jagdish Hare Aarti and Ekadashi Mata Ki Aarti, and ask forgiveness for any mistakes.
9. Through the day: Avoid daytime sleep, anger and gossip. Spend time in bhajan and japa, and give food, fruit or clothes to those in need.
10. Evening: Light a lamp again, place one near the tulsi plant and sing Tulsi Mata Ki Aarti.
11. Night jagran: Staying awake in kirtan on Ekadashi night is valued, just as Lalita remembered the Lord through the night. If a full night is not possible, sing for a while and then rest.
12. Dwadashi and parana: Next morning, bathe and worship, then give food or dakshina to a Brahmin or someone in need. Like Lalita, you may offer the fast’s merit for the welfare of your family or a loved one. Then break the fast in the parana window.

Puja Samagri List

• Image or idol of Lord Vishnu or Krishna
• Chowki and yellow cloth
• Kalash, mango leaves and coconut (optional)
• Ganga jal and clean water
• Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar)
• Tulsi leaves (picked on Dashami)
• Yellow flowers and a garland
• Yellow sandalwood, roli and akshat
• Ghee lamp, cotton wicks, dhoop and incense
• Seasonal fruit, sweets and dry fruit
• Paan, supari, cloves and cardamom
• Cloth for the deity
• Aarti plate and camphor
• Katha book and Vishnu Sahasranama
• Grain, fruit, clothes or dakshina for daan

Kamada Ekadashi Mantras

Well-known Vishnu mantras are chanted on Kamada Ekadashi. Since Lalita worshipped Lord Vasudeva in the katha, the Vasudeva mantra has a special place. You may chant 108 times on a tulsi or sandalwood mala, but a few heartfelt repetitions are enough if you have no mala.

1. Dwadashakshara Vasudeva Mantra

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय॥ (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya)

Meaning: Salutations to Lord Vasudeva, who dwells within all beings. This twelve-syllable mantra is the best-known mantra of Vishnu bhakti.

2. Ashtakshara Narayana Mantra

ॐ नमो नारायणाय॥ (Om Namo Narayanaya)

Meaning: Salutations to Lord Narayana, the sustainer of all creation. It is short and simple enough to chant at any time.

3. Vishnu Gayatri Mantra

ॐ नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो विष्णुः प्रचोदयात्॥

Meaning: We know Narayana and meditate on Vasudeva; may that Vishnu inspire and guide our intellect.

4. Vishnu Dhyana Mantra

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशम्। विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम्॥

लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम्। वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥

Meaning: I bow to Vishnu, peaceful in form, resting on the serpent, with a lotus at his navel, lord of the gods, support of the universe, vast as the sky and dark as a rain cloud; the beloved of Lakshmi, lotus-eyed, reached by yogis in meditation, remover of the fear of worldly life and sole lord of all worlds. It is recited at the start of puja.

Kamada Ekadashi Fasting Rules: What to Eat and What to Avoid

The core rule of the Ekadashi fast is giving up grains, especially rice. How strict the fast is depends on your health, age and tradition; tradition itself says to fast according to one’s capacity.

Nirjala Fast

In a nirjala fast, both food and water are given up until parana on Dwadashi. It is the hardest form and only for healthy people. Since Kamada Ekadashi comes as summer begins, dehydration can set in quickly, so choose this carefully.

Phalahar Fast

The phalahar fast is the most common. Grains are avoided, while fruit, milk, curd, nuts and fasting foods are allowed, along with water. It suits householders, working people and first-time fasters best.

Ekbhukt (One Meal) Fast

Those who cannot go all day without food may eat one sattvic fasting meal, such as kuttu or singhara roti, sabudana or samak rice. Regular grains and rice are still avoided.

What You Can Eat

• Seasonal fruit such as banana, apple, papaya, watermelon, muskmelon and grapes
• Milk, curd, buttermilk, paneer and makhana
• Dry fruit, peanuts and coconut
• Kuttu, singhara and rajgira flour
• Sabudana and samak (barnyard millet) rice
• Potato, sweet potato, arbi and pumpkin
• Rock salt, black pepper and cumin
• Coconut water, lemon water and plain water

What to Avoid

• Rice and anything made from rice
• Wheat, barley, maize and other regular grains
• Lentils, chickpeas, rajma and beans
• Onion and garlic
• Meat, fish, eggs and alcohol
• Regular (iodised) salt
• Heavy, deep-fried or tamasic food
• Tobacco and any intoxicant

Kamada Ekadashi Parana: When and How to Break the Fast

Parana means breaking the fast. It is done on Dwadashi, after sunrise, and by tradition before the Dwadashi tithi ends.

• Avoid Hari Vasara: The first quarter of Dwadashi tithi is called Hari Vasara. Parana is not done during it, so wait until it ends.
• Best time: Early morning (pratahkal) is best. If that is not possible, break the fast after madhyahna; tradition avoids parana at midday.
• Smarta and Vaishnava: When Ekadashi spans two days, Smartas fast on the first and Vaishnavas on the second, and the parana day shifts accordingly.
• How to break it: Offer bhog to the Lord, take a tulsi leaf, then eat a simple sattvic meal. Many families start with a little water, tulsi and fruit.
• Daan: Giving food or grain to a Brahmin, a cow or someone in need before parana is considered auspicious.

Your city’s exact parana time is in the date table above. You can also check the Daily Panchang for the day’s tithi and timings.

Kamada Ekadashi Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Rise early, bathe and take the sankalp with faith.
• Worship Lord Vishnu or Krishna, with tulsi in every offering.
• Read the katha or listen to it together as a family.
• Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” and recite the Vishnu Sahasranama.
• Couples can do the puja together, since this is a story of married love and loyalty.
• Give food, fruit, water or clothes to those in need.
• With summer starting, put out water for birds and animals.
• Keep the mind calm and the speech gentle and truthful.

Don’ts

• Do not eat rice or other grains.
• Do not pluck tulsi leaves on Ekadashi.
• Avoid anger, lies, gossip and harsh words; in the katha, a curse came out of anger.
• Avoid sleeping during the day.
• Stay away from onion, garlic, meat and intoxicants.
• Do not insult elders, women or any living being.
• Do not take on a harsh fast for show or under pressure if it is not right for your health.

Kamada Ekadashi and Wish Fulfilment: What the Belief Says

Because of its name, many people keep this fast with a particular wish: peace at home, good health, children, love in marriage, or relief from a big obstacle. Tradition holds that the vow, kept with faith and discipline, helps fulfil a devotee’s good wishes.

Look closely at the katha, though: Lalita’s wish was not selfish but for a loved one’s welfare. So tradition values a sankalp that is good, harms no one and is matched by one’s own effort. The fast gives strength and patience; it does not replace work and effort.

What to Do on Kamada Ekadashi for a Wish

• State your wish clearly and in good words at the time of sankalp.
• Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” through the day.
• After the katha, offer your merit for your family’s or a loved one’s welfare, as Lalita did.
• Give daan on Dwadashi according to your means, then do parana.
• Whether or not the wish comes true, accept the Lord’s will; that is the true spirit of Ekadashi.

The First Ekadashi After Ram Navami and the Hindu New Year

Kamada Ekadashi is part of a lovely sequence. The Hindu new year and Chaitra Navratri begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Lord Rama’s birth is celebrated as Ram Navami on the ninth day, and a few days later, in the same bright fortnight, comes Kamada Ekadashi.

So many devotees move from worshipping the Goddess in Navratri, to Shri Rama on Ram Navami, to Lord Vishnu on Kamada Ekadashi. Rama is himself an avatar of Vishnu, so the Ram Navami festival and the Kamada fast flow from the same stream of devotion, and many homes chant Rama’s name on this day too.

As the year’s first Ekadashi, it is also a good day for spiritual resolutions. If you want to keep every Ekadashi this year, start today and see all the dates on our Ekadashi Kab Hai page.

Kamada Ekadashi Myths and Facts (Myth vs Reality)

Myth: Every wish comes true automatically once you keep Kamada Ekadashi.

Reality: Tradition sees the fast as helpful for good wishes, but it is not a guarantee. Lalita kept it with patience, service and discipline. The fast strengthens the mind; change comes when it is joined with your own effort.

Myth: Only a nirjala fast brings results.

Reality: Tradition asks you to fast according to your capacity. A phalahar or one-meal fast kept with devotion is a complete fast. Bhava, restraint and remembrance of God are its core.

Myth: Only a wife should keep this fast, for her husband.

Reality: Because Lalita fasted for her husband, this idea spread. But anyone can keep Ekadashi: men or women, married or single. Couples can keep it together for each other and for the family.

Myth: If the fast breaks, something terrible will happen.

Reality: If illness, a mistake or necessity breaks the fast, there is no need for fear. Ask the Lord’s forgiveness sincerely, chant his name and keep the next Ekadashi properly. Tradition teaches devotion, not fear.

Myth: The fast only counts if the sick, pregnant or elderly also keep it strictly.

Reality: Tradition exempts children, the elderly, the sick and pregnant women from strict fasting. If you have diabetes, blood pressure issues, are pregnant, elderly or on regular medication, consult your doctor before a nirjala or long fast. Phalahar, katha, japa and daan honour the vow just as well.

Myth: The katha gives merit only when heard from a pandit.

Reality: Reading and hearing the katha are both considered meritorious. You can read it yourself at home or read it aloud to your family. What matters is understanding its message and living it.

Benefits of Kamada Ekadashi (Religious Belief)

The benefits below are based on tradition and religious belief. Treat them as matters of faith, not promised results.

• Freedom from sins: The fast is believed to lessen the effect of sins committed knowingly or unknowingly.
• Fulfilment of good wishes: True to its name, it is believed to help fulfil the heart’s good wishes.
• Easing curses and doshas: Based on the katha, devotees link it with easing obstacles and doshas.
• Love in marriage: The Lalit-Lalita story makes it a fast associated with love and loyalty between spouses.
• A good start to the year: As the year’s first Ekadashi, it is seen as an auspicious beginning to a year of devotion.
• Calm and self-control: Fasting, japa and jagran quieten the mind and train the senses.
• Merit of charity: Daan on this day is considered especially fruitful.

Related Ekadashis and Prayers

Kamada Ekadashi is preceded by Papmochani Ekadashi, kept for freedom from sins, and followed by Varuthini Ekadashi in Vaishakha Krishna Paksha, believed to bring protection and good fortune. See all the year’s Ekadashis and their dates on our Ekadashi Kab Hai page.

During the puja, sing Om Jai Jagdish Hare and Ekadashi Mata Ki Aarti. Download our Aarti Sangrah PDF for all the aartis in one place, and check the Daily Panchang for the day’s tithi and auspicious timings.

Kamada Ekadashi teaches that true love, patience and trust in God can undo even the hardest curse. On this first Ekadashi of the new year, place your good wish at Lord Vasudeva’s feet, link your merit to the welfare of your loved ones as Lalita did, and keep the lamp of devotion burning all year. May Lord Vishnu fulfil every good wish of yours. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

Frequently asked questions