Apara Ekadashi is an auspicious occasion that is celebrated with great devotion by people of the Hindu community. On this day, devotees observe a day-long fast. Apara Ekadashi is observed on the eleventh day of the Krishna Paksha (the dark fortnight of the moon) in Jyeshtha month. The Sanskrit word 'apar' means 'limitless'. In 2023, Apara Ekadashi will be observed on May 15. The Hindu Lunar calendar is divided into two different cycles or phases of the Moon- the 'Shukla Paksha' and the Krishna Paksha and each phase is of 15 days, respectively. 'Ekadashi' is the eleventh (11th) day in each phase of the Moon, which means that there are two Ekadashis in a month. The word "Ekadashi" means the eleventh lunar day in each fortnight of the Shukla Paksha and the Krishna Paksha, respectively. In a year, 24 Ekadashis are marked, with the exception of Leap Year, when there are 26 Ekadashis. Ekadashi 2023 List: Know All Dates, Parana Timing, Significance and Ekadashi Vrat Rituals for All Fasting Days in The Year.

According to the ancient texts, both the Ekadashis, whether in Shukla Paksha or Krishna Paksha, are equally holy and auspicious as they have the same tithi.

Apara Ekadashi 2023 Dates, Tithi and Timings

  • Apara Ekadashi will be celebrated on Monday, May 15, 2023

  • The Ekadashi Tithi Begins at 02:46 on May 14, 2023, and will end at 01:03 on May 15, 2023

  • The Parana Time (Breaking the fast time) is on May 16 between 06:41 to 08:40

  • The auspicious time for worshipping Lord Vishnu on Apara Ekadashi is from 8.54 am to 10.36 am.

Apara Ekadashi Puja Vidhi

Lord Vishnu is worshipped on Ekadashi. Devotees get up early in the morning, take a bath and wear clean clothes. On this day, devotees clean their houses and worship Lord Vishnu by lighting a ghee diya, offering flowers to the deity and seeking blessings for a prosperous life. Devotees observing fast on this day get free of all sins. Prayers are offered to Lord Vishnu along with aarti and prasad, then distributed to people at home. The day is observed by fasting from the sunrise of Ekadashi Tithi to the sunrise the next day. May 2023 Holidays Calendar With Major Festivals & Events: List of Significant Dates in the Fifth Month of the Year.

Fasting on the Ekadashi is an important ritual where devotees abstain from eating food or drinking water. People who do not want to keep a Nirjal fast are recommended to consume fruits or drink milk. Devotees observing the Apara Ekadashi fast must break it after sunrise the next day of Ekadashi. It is to be noted that one should break the fast (Parana) within Dwadashi Tithi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 14, 2023 12:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).