Holi 2026

Holi is the festival of colours, celebrated across India with unmatched exuberance. The festivities span two days: Holika Dahan on the Purnima night of Phalguna, when a bonfire symbolising the burning of the demoness Holika is lit, followed by Rangwali Holi (Dhulandi) the next morning when people drench each other with coloured powders and water.

The festival commemorates several Puranic narratives. The most well-known is the story of Prahlada, the devotee of Vishnu who survived the fire of Holika through unwavering faith. In Braj (Vrindavan and Mathura), Holi is inseparable from the leela of Radha and Krishna — the playful application of colours recalls Krishna's sport with the gopis. Lathmar Holi of Barsana, where women playfully strike men with sticks, draws thousands of visitors.

For Holika Dahan, the panchang prescribes that the Purnima tithi must prevail during the Pradosh kala (evening). The Bhadra period — an inauspicious window that sometimes coincides with Purnima evening — must be avoided; if Bhadra extends deep into the night, Holika Dahan is performed only after it ends. This is one of the few rituals where avoiding Bhadra takes absolute precedence.

Holi transcends social hierarchies and is often described as the great equaliser. The tradition of consuming thandai (often infused with bhang in parts of North India), singing Holi songs (phag), and visiting neighbours to apply colour reinforces community bonds. The festival also marks the arrival of the spring harvest and the end of winter.