Vaikunta Ekadasi, also referred to as Mukkoti Ekadasi, Swargavathil Ekadasi, is the highly meritorious Ekadasi vratham observed in South India. In 2017, Vaikunta Ekadasi date is 9 January and 29 December 2017.
Vaikunta Ekadasi falls on the eleventh day of Shukla Paksha in Dhanurmasam.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is the only day when devotees can have Uttara Dwara Darshanam (Swargadwara / Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam) from Lord Vishnu Temples. On this day, we can have Darshan of Lord Sri Hari from the Northern entrance of the temple.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is celebrated with utmost fervor in Tirumala Tirupati Venkateshwara Swamy Temple, Bhadrachalam Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy Temple, Yadagirigutta Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Annavaram Satyanarayana Swamy Temple, Simhachalam Narasimha Swamy Temple, Arasavalli Sri Suryanarayana Swamy Temple and all other temples in Andhra Pradesh those are dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Srirangam Sriranganathar Swamy Temple is the popular temple to visit during Vaikunda Ekadasi in Tamil Nadu.
The Vaikunta Ekadasi falls on 11 day of the auspicious month of Margashirsha Masam(also known as dhanur masam), So Vaikunta Ekadasi is “Margashirsha shukla-paksha Ekadashi” also known as Mukkoti Ekadasi. This corresponds to December – January in English calendar.
In Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna said – of all months, Iam Margashirsha. Vaikunta Ekadasi is the great Ekadasi of this auspicious month.
In all Sampradayas “Margashirsha shukla-paksha Ekadashi” is called as Vaikunta Ekadasi but only in Gaudiya-vaishna sampradaya (ISKCON belongs to this sampradaya) it is called as Putrada Ekadasi or Moksada Ekadasi (sometimes it corresponds to Putrada Ekadasi and some other year it corresponds to Moksada Ekadasi).
In Vedic Puranas, it is mentioned that on Vaikunta Ekadasi & dwadasi, all the 3 crore Devatas(Mukkoti Devatas) will come to Tirupati-Tirumala for the Darshan of Supreme Lord Sri Venkatesha who is Sriman Narayana. So Vaikunta Ekadasi is very grandly celebrated in Tirumala-Tirupati.
Also in Sri Rangam(Tamil-Nadu) it is very grandly celebrated, in Sri Rangam also all the 3 crore Devatas take darsan of the Sri Ranganatha swami who is also Sriaman Narayan.
Darshan of Lord Venkatesha (Sriman Narayan) or any Vishnu-Avatar on Vaikunta Ekadasi is very very auspicious and great opportunity, so all 3 crore devatas are waiting for Darshan of Lord Sriman Narayan(Vishnu) on Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Fasting on Vaikunta Ekadasi is very very auspicious and great opportunity which removes all Sins, purifies the Self, and for Moksha (liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, and going to great Vaikunta Planet).
Food made with Grains or Beans are not to be eaten on Vaikunta Ekadasi.
It is strictly recommended that, one should not eat food made from any “Grains or Beans” on any Ekadasi day.
So many people (who are not performing complete fast) eat Fruits, Milk or food made up of Sabudana(Sago), or any vegetables which are not grains or not beans. This type of food is called supper food(or Ekadasi food), performing this type of Ekadasi fasting by eating supper food is also auspicious and benefits people.
In 2014 Vaikunta Ekadasi is on 11th January 2014
In 2015 Vaikunta Ekadasi is on 1st January 2015(New Year day)
In 2013 there is no Vaikunta Ekadasi, because in 2012 it was in December 2013 and 2014 it is on Jaunuary 2014 and it did not come in 2013.
The article is correct, but the comment by VKT is incorrect. Margashirsha masam and Dhanur masam are not identical – Vaikunta ekadashi is NOT on Margashirsha shukla pasksha ekadashi. this year 2013, Dhanurmasa had not even begun on that date.