Vaikunta Ekadasi at Tirupati: Date, Dwara Darshan, Tokens

Facts checked November 2026.

Once a year, Vishnu temples across South India open a northern gate that stays shut for the rest of the year. Walking through it on Vaikunta Ekadasi is believed to bring the devotee closer to Vaikunta, the abode of Lord Vishnu. This page explains the 2026 date, how Tirumala has handled the rush in recent years, and what is confirmed and what is still awaited for December 2026.

This page is part of our 10 Famous Temples in Kerala guide. Planning the yatra? See our South India yatra packages.

What is Vaikunta Ekadasi and why is it called Mukkoti Ekadasi?

Ekadasi is the eleventh lunar day of each fortnight. Vaikunta Ekadasi is the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) Ekadasi that falls in the solar month of Dhanu, known as Margazhi in Tamil and Dhanurmasam in Telugu. So it comes between mid-December and mid-January. In the North Indian calendar, the same day is often Mokshada Ekadasi, which is also when Gita Jayanti is observed.

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is called Mukkoti Ekadasi. The name is commonly explained as the day when the three crore (mukkoti) devatas come to worship Lord Vishnu. Tamil devotees call it Vaikunta Ekadasi, and the northern gate is called Sorgavasal or Paramapada Vasal. At Tirumala it is the Vaikunta Dwaram (also called Uttara Dwaram), a passage around the sanctum of Sri Venkateswara.

A Padma Purana story tells how a goddess born of Vishnu’s power killed the demon Mura while the Lord rested in a cave near Badarikashram. Pleased, Vishnu named her Ekadasi and blessed anyone who fasts on her day. Many devotees believe that fasting on Vaikunta Ekadasi carries the merit of all the Ekadasis of the year.

When is Vaikunta Ekadasi this year?

As per Drik Panchang timings (reported by LatestLY), Vaikunta Ekadasi in 2026 is on Sunday, 20 December 2026. The Ekadasi tithi begins at 10:09 PM on 19 December and ends at 8:14 PM on 20 December. Parana (breaking the fast) is on 21 December, between 6:41 AM and 8:55 AM. Parana times vary by city, so check the Panchang for your location.

Only one in 2026. Because the festival follows the solar month of Dhanu, some calendar years get two of them and some get one. 2025 had two: 10 January 2025 and 30 December 2025. In 2026 there is no Vaikunta Ekadasi in January, so 20 December is the only one this year.

How many days is the Vaikunta Dwaram open at Tirumala?

Traditionally the Vaikunta Dwaram at Tirumala was opened only on Vaikunta Ekadasi and Vaikunta Dwadasi, the day after. The TTD trust board extended it to ten days in 2020, following the Srirangam practice, and the ten-day format has continued every season since. In October 2025 some seers asked TTD to go back to the two-day custom, and TTD said it was consulting Agama scholars. For the 2025–26 season it stayed at ten days.

For 2026, TTD said at a review meeting in Tirumala on Thursday, 5 November 2026, chaired by Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary, that the ten-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan will run from 20 to 29 December, as reported by Deccan Chronicle and UNI. According to Deccan Chronicle, Slotted Sarva Darshan tokens for the first three days (20, 21 and 22 December) will be allotted through an online electronic dip (draw), and Sarva Darshan will be available on the remaining seven days. The Additional EO also directed officials to allow Sarva Darshan devotees darshan on Friday, 25 December, even during the Friday Abhishekam. Treat these as plans until TTD publishes its official notice.

Two rituals mark the festival days at Tirumala itself. On Ekadasi morning, the Lord is taken out on the Swarna Ratham (golden chariot). On Dwadasi, the next morning, the Chakra Snanam is held at Swami Pushkarini, when Sri Sudarshana Chakrattalwar is given a holy dip in the temple tank, and many devotees bathe at the same hour. TTD announces the exact timings for these each year.

How were Vaikunta Dwara Darshan tokens issued last time?

On 8 January 2025, six devotees died in a crush at the Vishnu Nivasam token centre in Tirupati, while people queued for free tokens for the 10 to 19 January darshan. After that, TTD stopped giving out offline tokens for the first days of the festival. This is how the 2025–26 season (30 December 2025 to 8 January 2026) worked, as reported by Deccan Chronicle:

Daily quotas on the e-DIP days were 57,000 on Ekadasi, 64,000 on Dwadasi and 55,000 on 1 January. TTD said 164 of the 182 darshan hours over the ten days were kept for common devotees, and privilege-based darshans were cancelled on the first three days. In all, 7.83 lakh devotees had darshan during that ten-day window.

For 2026: so far, TTD has only said (at the 5 November review, as reported) that the first three days will use an online electronic draw and the rest will be Sarva Darshan. The registration dates, daily quotas, and whether Rs 300 SED tickets will be sold on the later days are not announced yet as of 8 November 2026. Expected (estimate): last season, registration opened on 27 November, about a month before the 30 December Ekadasi. If TTD keeps a similar gap, registration for the 20 December draw would open around mid to late November 2026. TTD announces official dates on its website. Book only on TTD’s own portal, and be wary of agents who offer “confirmed” Vaikunta Ekadasi tickets.

How should I plan a Tirumala visit for Vaikunta Ekadasi?

• Decide your day first. The first three days need a draw ticket. If you miss the draw, the gate stays open for all ten days, and the later days have usually had free Sarva Darshan.
• Book stay early, but carefully. Tirumala rooms are allotted by TTD and are scarce in this window. Tirupati town hotels fill up and often have stricter cancellation terms over these dates.
• Carry the same ID that you used to register or book. Each yatri needs their own ticket.
• Elders and children: queues can be long even with a slot. Carry water and light snacks, and keep a meeting point fixed in case someone gets separated.

For darshan types, timings and dress code on normal days, see our Tirupati Balaji temple guide.

Srirangam Vaikunta Ekadasi: when does the Paramapada Vasal open?

At Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, Vaikunta Ekadasi is the high point of a festival that runs for about 20 days. The ten days before Ekadasi are Pagal Pathu (daytime festival) and the ten days from Ekadasi are Ra Pathu (night festival). Namperumal, the processional deity, is taken out in procession during both parts of the festival.

Before dawn on Ekadasi, Namperumal is taken through the Paramapada Vasal (Sorgavasal), and devotees then follow through the same gate. In the 2025–26 season the opening was scheduled for 5:45 AM on 30 December 2025, and the festival ended on 9 January 2026 with Nammalvar Moksham. Expected (estimate) for 2026: since the gate opens on Vaikunta Ekadasi morning, the Paramapada Vasal opening should fall on 20 December 2026, with Pagal Pathu starting about ten days earlier. The official schedule is announced by the temple administration (Tamil Nadu HR&CE) closer to the festival. Read more in our Srirangam temple guide.

Which other temples celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi?

Almost every major Vishnu temple marks the day. Several open a northern gate on Ekadasi morning:

• Parthasarathy temple, Triplicane (Chennai) and the Divya Desams of Kanchipuram open their Sorgavasal.
• Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Telangana holds Uttara Dwara Darshanam on Mukkoti Ekadasi.
• Govindaraja Swamy temple in Tirupati and other TTD temples also hold Vaikunta Dwara Darshan.
• Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple in Kerala celebrates its own Guruvayur Ekadasi in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam, which is a separate day. See our Guruvayur temple guide and confirm the date with Guruvayur Devaswom.

Timings and gate-opening hours differ at each temple, so confirm locally.

How do people fast on Vaikunta Ekadasi?

Customs vary by family. Common practices:

• A single simple meal on Dasami, the day before.
• No rice or grains on Ekadasi. Some keep a full fast, while others take fruit, milk or water.
• Japa of Vishnu’s names, reading the Vishnu Sahasranama or the Gita, and staying awake at night (jagarana).
• Breaking the fast during the Parana window on Dwadasi morning. In 2026 that is 21 December.

Elders, pregnant women, children and anyone on regular medicines should choose a lighter fast that suits them and ask their own doctor if unsure.

How Yatra To Temples can help

Our Tirupati and Chennai Divya Desham darshan yatra covers Chennai’s Divya Desams, the Perumal temples on the road to Tirupati, Tirumala darshan at your booked slot, and Tiruchanur. It includes hotels in Chennai and Tirupati town, a private AC vehicle and vegetarian breakfast and dinner. Tirumala darshan tickets are not included. Each yatri books on the TTD portal in their own name, and we guide you in picking a slot that fits the itinerary. The yatra is not fixed to Vaikunta Ekadasi. If you want to travel in that window, ask us what is possible. Hotels cost more, cancellation terms can be stricter and queues are longer then. You can also browse our Divya Desham yatras. Write to shiva@yatratotemples.in, call +91 78178 98687, or use the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vaikunta Ekadasi on 20 December or 30 December in 2026?

It is on Sunday, 20 December 2026, as per Drik Panchang tithi timings. 30 December was the date in 2025. Some websites have wrongly carried that date forward to 2026.

Is there a second Vaikunta Ekadasi in 2026?

No. 2026 has only one, on 20 December. 2025 was the unusual year with two, on 10 January and 30 December.

How can I get Vaikunta Dwara Darshan tickets for 20 to 22 December 2026?

TTD has said tokens for the first three days will be allotted through an online electronic draw. The registration dates and quota are not announced yet. Watch TTD’s official website and register there only.

Can I go for Vaikunta Dwara Darshan without a ticket?

Not on the first three days. For the remaining seven days (23 to 29 December 2026), TTD has said Sarva Darshan will be available. Last season this free darshan did not need a token.

Will Rs 300 Special Entry Darshan tickets be available in 2026?

Not announced yet. In 2025–26, about 15,000 SED tickets a day were sold online for the later seven days, but none on the first three days. Wait for TTD’s 2026 notice.

Are tokens given at counters in Tirupati for Vaikunta Ekadasi?

Up to January 2025, free tokens were issued at counters in Tirupati and Tirumala. After the 8 January 2025 tragedy, TTD moved the first three days to an online draw. TTD’s 2026 plan also uses an online draw.

Is the Vaikunta Dwaram open at Srirangam for ten days too?

At Srirangam the Paramapada Vasal opens on Ekadasi morning and is part of a festival of about 20 days. Gate timings for the following days are announced by the temple each year, so confirm locally.

Can I eat on Vaikunta Ekadasi?

Many devotees avoid rice and grains and take fruit or milk instead of keeping a full fast. Choose what suits your health and family custom, and break the fast during the Parana time on Dwadasi.