Complete Hindu fasting guide - weekday vrats, lunar tithi fasts and special observances with deity, food rules, mantras and puja guidance.
Fasting (vrat or upvas) is one of the most widely practised forms of Hindu devotion, observed by an estimated 30-40% of India's adult population on a regular basis. The timing of Hindu fasts is governed by the tithi - the lunar day - which advances based on the angle between the Sun and Moon rather than the solar calendar. The Dharmasindhu and Nirnayasindhu, 17th-century texts on Hindu ritual observance, codified which tithis, days and months are auspicious for which fasts and for which deities - forming the basis of the panchang-based fasting calendar still followed today.
Ekadashi (11th tithi of each fortnight) is observed twice monthly by Vaishnavas and is considered the most powerful fasting day - devotees abstain from grains and pulses and observe vigil through the night. Pradosham (13th tithi, typically observed between 4:30 and 6 PM) is dedicated to Shiva and is observed in both Krishna and Shukla Paksha each month. Amavasya (new moon) fasts honour ancestors through pitru tarpan, while Purnima (full moon) fasts are observed for Satyanarayana and other deities. Navratri fasting - observed twice yearly in Chaitra and Ashwin - is among the most widely followed, with millions of Indians across North India, Gujarat and Maharashtra observing nine consecutive days of restricted diet.
Each fast has specific food rules - Ekadashi excludes grains but allows fruits, milk and sendha namak (rock salt); Monday Shiva vrat allows one meal; some fasts are water-only from sunrise to moonrise. This guide lists the deity, food rules, duration and key mantra for each major fast type, helping both seasoned devotees and first-time observers plan their observance correctly.