Ekadashi

Ekadashi (Sanskrit: एकादशी, romanized: Ēkādaśī, lit. 'The eleventh day') is the eleventh lunar day (tithi) of the waxing (Shukla Pakṣa) and waning (Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa) lunar cycles in a Vedic calendar month. Ekadashi is popularly observed within Vaishnavism one of the major paths within Sanatan Dharma. Followers offer their worship to the god Vishnu by fasting or just symbolically; the idea was always to receive self-discipline and the benefits of fasting and it was connected to the way of life via Sanatam Dharma practices.

In Hinduism, the primary purpose of fasting on Ekadashi is to gain control over the mind and bodily senses, and channel it towards spiritual progression. In addition, there are several health benefits to fasting. Ekadashi fasting spans for three days. Devotees take single meal in the afternoon a day before Ekadashi day(Dasami) to make sure there is no residual food in the stomach on next day. Devotees keep a strict fast with no food or water on Ekadashi day and break the fast on next day(Dwadashi) only after sunrise. Since this form of fasting is very stringent and may not be possible for people in all walks of life due to health and life choice reasons, a more liberal from of fasting is followed by most devotees.