Holi (Dhulandi)
Festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan.
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- CategoryFestival Major
- Defining tithi / momentShukla Paksha Purnima: to
- Lunar monthPhalguna Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta)
Also kept on Tuesday, 23 March 2027 (Govt list)
The festival's day above follows the rule explained below. Many households keep the day on which the tithi prevails at sunrise ("sunrise tithi"), and the Government of India lists (the DoPT holiday list or the Rashtriya Panchang) can give that other day ("Govt list"). Follow your family or temple custom.
Timings on Monday, 22 March 2027
Rule applied: Smarta — Bhadra lasts past midnight and Bhadra Puchha does not fall between Pradosh and midnight, so Holika Dahan is done in Pradosh, avoiding Bhadra Mukha. (Setting: Holika Dahan and Bhadra: common North Indian rule (Pradosh after Bhadra; else before midnight; else Bhadra Puchha; never Bhadra Mukha))
Not selected:
- Alternate rule followed by some pandits (e.g. of Banaras): wait until Bhadra ends, even after midnight. to
- Bhadra Puchha, not usable because it falls outside Pradosh–midnight. to
- Pradosh Kaal to
- Nishita Kaal to
- Bhadra (Vishti) to
- Bhadra Puchha to
- Bhadra Mukha to
Why this date?
- Observed 1 day(s) after Holika Dahan.
About Holi (Dhulandi)
Significance
Holi, or Dhulandi (Dhulendi), the day of colours, follows the bonfire night of Holika Dahan at the full moon of Phalguna and welcomes the spring. The bonfire recalls the story of Prahlada and Holika: Hiranyakashipu’s sister, said to be proof against fire, sat in a pyre with the young devotee of Vishnu in her lap, but she burned while Prahlada came out unharmed. Prahlada’s story is told in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 7); the episode of Holika belongs to later Puranic and popular tradition.
The Bhavishya Purana (Uttara Parva) describes a festival of the Phalguna full moon with bonfires, shouting and laughter to drive away a demoness named Dhundha who troubled children. In Braj, the country of Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is above all the play of Krishna and Radha with colours, and its songs and dances have shaped the festival far beyond Braj; in parts of South India the season recalls instead the burning of Kama by Shiva.
How and where it is observed
Holi is kept across India and Nepal and by South Asian communities around the world, and it is a gazetted holiday in the Government of India’s list. In Braj the celebrations stretch over many days, with the Lathmar Holi of Barsana and Nandgaon before the full moon. In Bengal and Odisha the full moon itself is Dol Purnima or Dola Yatra, when Krishna is carried on a swing, and in Bengal it is also Gaura Purnima, the birth anniversary of Chaitanya. Manipur keeps Yaoshang, Goa and the Konkan Shigmo, Maharashtra a second day of colours on Ranga Panchami, and Sikhs gather at Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla.
Rituals
In the morning people smear each other with gulal and abir, spray coloured water, and visit friends and relatives, and the usual social reserve is relaxed for the day. Many families first offer colour to the deity at home, and some keep ash from the Holika fire as a token. Gujiya, malpua, puran poli and thandai are among the festive foods, and in many places phag and hori songs are sung to drums.
How the date is fixed
Holi is the day after Holika Dahan. Holika Dahan is Phalguna Shukla Purnima at Pradosh, the evening period from sunset lasting a fifth of the night, kept clear of Bhadra (Vishti karana), with the provisions of Dharma Sindhu for years in which Bhadra or a long Purnima moves the bonfire; Holi follows on the next day, whichever evening that turns out to be. The day of colours is therefore usually Krishna Pratipada: Chaitra Krishna Pratipada in the Purnimanta calendars of North India and Phalguna Krishna Pratipada in Amanta calendars. Dol Purnima in Bengal and Odisha falls on the full-moon day itself.
Sources
- Bhagavata Purana, Canto 7 (Prahlada and Hiranyakashipu)
- Bhavishya Purana, Uttara Parva (the Phalguna full-moon festival and the demoness Dhundha)
- Dharma Sindhu, Pariccheda 2, Phalguna: Holika-nirnaya
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Holi
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Dolayatra
Customs differ between regions, communities and families; this description is background, not a prescription. The date above is calculated by the rule shown on this page.
Puja vidhi
Mantra & Bhakti
Recipes, stories and temples
Prasad to make
Story for children
Temples that celebrate it specially
Across India
How this festival is celebrated in different regions, with the regional names and each date's rule.
How the date is determined
- Observed 1 day(s) after Holika Dahan.
Traditional variation
This is the date given by the rule shown above for the selected place. It is not the only valid date: regional Panchangs, family customs and sampradayas may observe it on a different day.
Rule source: Tithi–kaal rule of the Dharmashastra digests (Nirnaya Sindhu / Dharma Sindhu), as applied by modern drik-ganita (computed) Panchangs
Traditions may vary by region and Panchang convention. Times are shown for the selected place, time zone and calculation profile.
Calculated with engine 1.4.2 · rules rules-2026-10-21-2ab12b5d · profile north-lahiri-calibrated v1 · ayanamsa lahiri_drik_compat · astronomy-engine@2.1.19 · Asia/Kolkata
Dates in 2026
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/03/2026 (Wed)
Phalguna Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Purnima: to | — |
|
Dates in 2027
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22/03/2027 (Mon)
Next
Also kept on 23/03/2027 (Tue) (Govt list) Phalguna Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Purnima: to | — |
|