Vaikunta Ekadasi and Gita Jayanti 2026 in Singapore: Sunday 20 December, Sorgavasal, Fasting and Parana

Quick answer: Vaikunta Ekadasi 2026 Singapore date is Sunday 20 December 2026, for both Smarta and Vaishnava families. It is also Gita Jayanti (Mokshada Ekadashi). The date is the same as India's. Break the fast (parana) on the morning of Monday 21 December; check Drik Panchang for Singapore for the exact window.

For Singapore's Tamil Vaishnavas, Vaikunta Ekadasi is the brightest day of Margazhi. As commonly told, on this day the gates of Vaikuntha, Vishnu's heaven, stand open, and in Vishnu temples the northern gate known as the Sorgavasal or Paramapada Vasal is opened for devotees to pass through. Telugu families call it Mukkoti Ekadashi and speak of Uttara Dwara darshan. Coming on a Sunday this year, it is likely to be a full temple day for many families.

About these dates: Singapore dates are calculated for Singapore with HinduTone's calculator using the Drik Panchang method. India dates are from our India calendar (calculated, validated against Drik). Please confirm on Drik Panchang and follow your temple.

Vaikunta Ekadasi and Gita Jayanti 2026 in Singapore: date table

An Ekadashi fast is kept on the day when the Ekadashi tithi is present at local sunrise. Smarta and Vaishnava rules can occasionally choose different days; for Singapore in December 2026 they agree.

In India the Ekadashi runs until about 8:15 PM IST on 20 December (calculated). That is an India time; for Singapore's own tithi times, see Drik Panchang for Singapore.

For the India picture, including the great temples where Vaikuntha Dwara darshan is held, see Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in India: Mukkoti Ekadashi, Uttara Dwara darshan, fasting and parana.

Why it is Vaikunta Ekadasi this year

Every lunar month has two Ekadashis. The Shukla (waxing) Ekadashi of Margashirsha is Mokshada Ekadashi, the "giver of liberation", and it is also Gita Jayanti. When this Ekadashi falls inside the solar month of Dhanu, that is Margazhi in the Tamil calendar, it is celebrated as Vaikunta Ekadasi.

In Singapore, the Sun entered Dhanu at 12:41 PM on Wednesday 16 December 2026, so Margazhi is already four days old by Sunday 20 December. In some years the Margazhi Shukla Ekadashi falls in late December or early January instead; this year it comes early in the month, a little before Christmas.

The Sorgavasal (Paramapada Vasal): what it means

As commonly told, Lord Vishnu opened the gates of Vaikuntha on this day to two asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, who asked that whoever passes through the northern gate on this Ekadashi should also reach Vaikuntha. Temples mark this by opening a special northern door, the Sorgavasal ("gate of heaven") or Paramapada Vasal, and devotees pass through it after darshan of the Lord, often with the procession deity carried through first.

In the Sri Vaishnava tradition, Vaikunta Ekadasi also falls within the temple's Adhyayana Utsavam, when the Alvars' Naalayira Divya Prabandham is recited. Srirangam's celebration in Tamil Nadu is the most famous; for the Tirumala tradition, see Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026: Tirumala and Sorgavasal darshan.

In Singapore, the Sorgavasal tradition is kept at Vishnu (Perumal) temples generally, including the long-established Perumal temple in Little India. Arrangements such as the time of the opening, queue routes and any special sevas are set by each temple, and we do not list them. Please check the temple's official website or notice board in the days before the festival.

How to keep Vaikunta Ekadasi in Singapore

• Dashami (Sat 19 Dec): eat a simple sattvic meal at midday and avoid grains in the evening if your family keeps that rule. Prepare the altar, flowers and tulasi.
• Ekadashi morning (Sun 20 Dec): rise early, bathe and light a lamp before Vishnu. Since this is Margazhi, many families sing the day's Thiruppavai pasuram at dawn before going to the temple.
• The fast: the traditional fast avoids rice and all grains and pulses. Nirjala (no water) is the strictest form; most people take water, fruit, milk or a single fruit meal. In Singapore's humidity, staying hydrated matters.
• Temple visit: Sunday allows a relaxed visit to a Perumal temple to pass through the Sorgavasal. Expect crowds, carry an umbrella in the monsoon season and dress modestly.
• Japa and reading: chant "Om Namo Narayanaya" or "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya", read the Vishnu Sahasranamam, or read from the Gita, which suits Gita Jayanti.
• Jagaran (night vigil): many devotees stay awake through the night with bhajans, Divya Prabandham or Gita reading. A shorter vigil at home, ending at a reasonable hour, is fine for families with children or work on Monday.
• Parana (Mon 21 Dec): break the fast after sunrise on Monday within the Dwadashi window shown on Drik Panchang for Singapore. Many Tamil families break it with a simple meal including agathi keerai and nellikai (amla), as the tradition goes.

A note for working families: Monday 21 December is a working day, so plan a light Monday breakfast that fits the parana window before you leave home.

Gita Jayanti 2026 in Singapore

Gita Jayanti marks the day on which, as commonly told, Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the field of Kurukshetra. In Singapore it falls on the same Sunday, 20 December 2026, so the two observances combine naturally: the fast and temple visit for Vaikunta Ekadasi, and a reading of the Gita in the evening.

• Read one chapter together as a family. Chapter 12 (Bhakti Yoga) is short and easy for beginners; Chapter 2 holds the core teaching.
• Some groups recite all eighteen chapters on Gita Jayanti; joining or hosting one is a good way to keep the vigil.
• Children can learn one verse, for example 2.47 on doing one's duty without attachment to results.
• For a full background, see Gita Jayanti 2026 and Mokshada Ekadashi and our Bhagavad Gita guide to all 18 chapters.

Margazhi context: the week around Vaikunta Ekadasi

Vaikunta Ekadasi sits inside a full week of observances in Singapore. Margazhi began with Dhanu Sankranti on Wednesday 16 December, and the first Margazhi dawn was Thursday 17 December, which is also a Margashirsha Thursday. Three days after the Ekadashi comes Datta Jayanti and Margashirsha Purnima on Wednesday 23 December.

For the whole month, the Thiruppavai routine and Thai Pongal, see Margazhi and Dhanurmasam 2026 in Singapore. For every December date in one place, see December 2026 Hindu festivals in Singapore.

Vaikunta Ekadasi 2026 Singapore: frequently asked questions

When is Vaikunta Ekadasi 2026 in Singapore?

Sunday 20 December 2026. Our calculation for Singapore gives this date for both Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, and it is the same date as in India.

Is Gita Jayanti 2026 on the same day as Vaikunta Ekadasi in Singapore?

Yes. Gita Jayanti is kept on Mokshada Ekadashi, the Shukla Ekadashi of Margashirsha, which this year falls inside Margazhi (Dhanurmasam). So in Singapore Gita Jayanti, Mokshada Ekadashi and Vaikunta Ekadasi are all Sunday 20 December 2026.

What time does the Sorgavasal open in Singapore temples?

Each temple decides and announces its own arrangements, so please check the official website or notice board of the Vishnu (Perumal) temple you plan to visit. We do not publish temple timings.

When should I break the Vaikunta Ekadasi fast in Singapore?

Parana is on the morning of Monday 21 December 2026, after sunrise, within the Dwadashi parana window. Check Drik Panchang for Singapore for the exact window; we do not publish parana times.

Is Vaikunta Ekadasi the same as Mukkoti Ekadashi?

Yes. Vaikunta Ekadasi in Tamil, Vaikuntha Ekadashi in Sanskrit and Mukkoti Ekadashi in Telugu all name the Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi when it falls in Dhanurmasam. In 2026 that is Sunday 20 December.

Can I keep the Vaikunta Ekadasi fast with water or fruit?

Yes. A nirjala (waterless) fast is the strictest form, but a fast with water, fruit or milk is fully traditional. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly, diabetic or on medication should speak to a doctor first.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates marked Drik are from Drik Panchang. Singapore values are from HinduTone's calculator (Drik method; moonrise uses the standard astronomical definition, checked against the US Naval Observatory, and Drik may show a few minutes later). Please confirm on Drik Panchang for Singapore and follow your temple. We do not list temple events, Sorgavasal timings or parana times.

Related guides

• Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in India (Mukkoti Ekadashi)
• Gita Jayanti 2026
• December 2026 Hindu festivals in Singapore
• Margazhi and Dhanurmasam 2026 in Singapore
• Dev Uthani Ekadashi and Tulsi Vivah 2026 in Singapore
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