A fast on the planet's weekday, or on days like Ekadashi: as your health and routine allow, with fruit or one meal too.
The planet's weekday fast or Ekadashi, within your health; ask a doctor if unwell, pregnant or on medicines.
One simple meal in the day, traditionally often without salt. Begin the day by offering water to the Sun.
When: Sundays (tradition starts from the first Sunday of Shukla paksha)
Do
Don't
One simple meal or fruit only; begin the day by offering water to Shiva.
When: Mondays (tradition starts from the first Monday of Shukla paksha)
Don't
Keep the day simple on Purnima and eat after offering water (arghya) to the Moon in the evening.
When: Full-moon day
Don't
One simple meal, traditionally often without salt (jaggery-chana or something sweet). Begin the day remembering Hanuman.
When: Tuesdays (tradition starts from the first Tuesday of Shukla paksha)
Don't
On Wednesday, eat one simple meal (such as moong khichdi) or only fruit; remember Ganesha or Vishnu in the morning.
When: Wednesday, starting on a Shukla-paksha Wednesday
Do
Don't
Tradition links Mercury with devotion to Vishnu; on Ekadashi, keep a fruit fast or eat once, without grains.
When: Ekadashi of each fortnight
Don't
On Thursday, eat one simple yellow meal (such as chana dal or besan); remember Vishnu in the morning, and you may read or hear the Thursday vrat katha.
When: Thursday, starting on a Shukla-paksha Thursday
Do
Don't
Tradition links Jupiter with devotion to Vishnu; on Ekadashi, keep a fruit fast or eat once, without grains.
When: Ekadashi of each fortnight
Don't
On Friday, eat one simple white meal (such as kheer or rice); remember Lakshmi or the Goddess. In North India the Friday Santoshi Mata vrat is also common, in which nothing sour is eaten.
When: Friday, starting on a Shukla-paksha Friday
Do
Don't
One simple meal in the day (with urad or sesame), or fruit and milk. Light a lamp in the evening and break the fast. Keep it only as far as it is comfortable.
When: Saturday; tradition starts from the first Saturday of Shukla paksha
Do
Don't
On both Ekadashis of the month, skip grains and eat fruit. It is a fast of overall self-discipline, not tied to one planet.
When: Each Ekadashi
Don't
Rahu has no weekday of its own; tradition usually keeps a Saturday fast for Rahu. One simple meal or fruit in the day.
When: Saturday
Don't
On both Ekadashis of the month, skip grains and eat fruit; it is held to be a fast of self-discipline.
When: Each Ekadashi
Don't
Ketu has no weekday of its own. Tradition links Ketu with Ganesha, so many keep the Sankashti Chaturthi fast: fruit by day, a meal after moonrise. In some places a Tuesday or Saturday fast is kept instead.
When: Chaturthi of each Krishna paksha
Don't
On both Ekadashis of the month, skip grains and eat fruit; it is held to be a fast of self-discipline.
When: Each Ekadashi
Don't
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