Overview
Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Sanskrit: वैकुण्ठ एकादशी, literally 'Eleventh day of Vaikuntha') is a Hindu occasion observed in honour of the deity Vishnu. It is regarded by Vaishnavas as a particularly significant ekadashi among the twenty-four ekadashis observed across the Hindu lunar calendar.
The observance falls on the eleventh lunar day (ekadashi) of the waxing fortnight (shukla paksha) of the solar month of Dhanu. In the Gregorian calendar, this period generally falls between 16 December and 13 January. Depending on the regional calendar tradition, Vaikuntha Ekadashi coincides with Mokshada Ekadashi or with Putrada Ekadashi.
The day is primarily observed by adherents of the Vaishnava tradition, who associate it with Vaikuntha, the celestial abode of Vishnu. Devotional practices on the occasion typically centre on fasting, prayer, and the recitation of texts associated with Vishnu. The name of the occasion reflects the Vaishnava belief that the day holds particular spiritual importance for worshippers of Vishnu.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Vaikuntha Ekadashi.