Month-long Ekadashi Vilakku begins Nov 1 at Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple

The month-long “Ekadashi Vilakku” ritual at the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala, begins with the lighting of oil lamps roughly a month before the main Guruvayur Ekadashi festival. In 2025, the Vilakku lighting commenced on 1 November, leading up to the grand Guruvayur Ekadashi celebration slated for 1 December.

This annual observance honors Guruvayoorappan (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu/Krishna) and sees devotees, families, and organizations sponsoring lamp offerings every day during the build-up

Key Details of the Month-Long “Ekadashi Vilakku” Ritual at Guruvayur

Duration: The lighting of the Ekadashi Vilakku (traditional oil lamps) begins roughly one month before the actual day of Guruvayur Ekadashi.

Location: The event is centered at the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala — the temple precinct becomes beautifully illuminated with thousands of lamps during this period.

Significance: This ritual is one of the most important parts of the festival, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and serving as a build-up of devotion leading to the main festival day.

Offerings: Devotees, families, and various organizations can sponsor and conduct the lamp offerings (“vilakku”) on different days throughout the month-long period.

Main Festival Day: The month of observances culminates in the main Guruvayur Ekadashi, which usually falls in the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam (November/December). On this day, after the night pooja, a grand Ekadashi Vilakku ceremony with a spectacular elephant procession takes place.

Continuous Darshan: On the main Ekadashi day, the temple opens early (at 3 AM on Dasami, the day before) and remains open until 9 AM on Dwadashi (the day after), allowing devotees uninterrupted darshan (viewing of the Deity).