Vaikuntha Dwara
Pallakki Utsava
Laksharchana Seva
Kalyanotsava
Sri Srinivasa Govinda Abhisheka
Sri Srinivasa Govinda Arati

ISKCON Bangalore will celebrate Sri Vaikuntha Ekadashi on 30 December 2025 at ISKCON Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar, and ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill, Vasanthapura.

Vaikuntha Ekadashi is an important festival celebrated every year. Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the waxing and waning phases of the moon and occurs twice every month. The Ekadashi that falls during the waxing phase of the month of Dhanurmasa is of special significance and is glorified as Vaikuntha Ekadashi.

On this auspicious day, the gates of Vaikuntha, the spiritual abode of Lord Vishnu, open for His ardent devotees. This is a major festival in South India, celebrated in all the temples of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu’s majestic abode, Vaikuntha, is situated far beyond the material creation. There are billions and trillions of universes within the material realm, and our universe is only an insignificant part of it. Each universe contains billions of planets. All the universes together constitute only one-fourth of the Lord’s total creation. The remaining three-fourths, known as the Tripād-vibhūti, which lie beyond the boundaries of the material universes, form the spiritual world where the Vaikuntha planets are situated. These planets are spiritual and exist eternally.

The word Vaikuntha means “a place completely free from anxieties”. The material world is characterised by anxiety and by the inevitable miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. In contrast, there are no such sufferings for the liberated souls residing in Vaikuntha. They eternally engage in loving devotional service to the Lord in the highest spiritual bliss. One who attains Vaikuntha never takes birth again in this material world.

Worship of Lord Vishnu offers the soul a direct connection with Him through devotion, remembrance, and surrender. On Vaikuntha Ekadashi, devotees of Lord Vishnu observe the Ekadashi Vrata and remember the Supreme Lord by chanting His holy names and singing His glories. Sri Nammalwar, a great devotee in the Sri Sampradaya (the disciplic succession descending from Lakshmi Devi), returned to the spiritual world on this day. To commemorate this event, the Vaikuntha Dwara—a special entrance symbolising the gateway to Vaikuntha—is set up annually in all Vishnu temples. It is believed that anyone who enters the Vaikuntha Dwara on this day will attain Vaikuntha.

Things you could do to please the Lord on the auspicious occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi:

Visit your nearest Vishnu or Krishna temple and seek the Lord’s blessings.
Chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra as much as possible.
Read the Bhagavad-gita and associate with the Lord through His divine instructions.
Chant prayers such as the Venkatesha Stotram, or sing bhajans glorifying the Lord.
Listen to the divine pastimes of Lord Vishnu or Krishna as narrated by saintly persons or devotees.
Click here to offer seva to the Lord.

Join us in the festivities at the ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill and ISKCON Hare Krishna Hill temples, and receive the unlimited blessings of the Lord of Vaikuntha.

Schedule

Darshan Timings on Vaikuntha Ekadashi :

ISKCON Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar – 8 AM to 10 PM

(The Vaikuntha Dwara will remain open on 31 December and 1 January as well, at ISKCON Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar. Devotees can visit during the regular darshan timings.)

ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill, Vasanthapura – 5:30 AM to 10 PM

Devotees can also participate in the celebrations online

Offer your seva and be blessed with the divine grace of Lord Venkateshwara. You will also receive prasadam from the temple at your home.