Holi 2027 Date – 22 March

The story of Prahlad and Holika

The bonfire on the night before Holi retells the story of Prahlad, a boy devoted to Vishnu, and his father Hiranyakashipu, a demon king who demanded to be worshipped as god. When every attempt to kill Prahlad failed, the king's sister Holika – who was said to be protected from fire – sat in a blaze with the boy in her lap. Holika burned and Prahlad walked out unharmed. Vishnu later appeared as Narasimha to end Hiranyakashipu's reign.

That is why Holika Dahan is seen as the burning of arrogance and ill will, and why the colours the next morning are a celebration of a clean start.

Radha, Krishna and the colours of Braj

The colour play is tied to Krishna, who, as the story goes, worried that fair-skinned Radha would not like his dark complexion and playfully smeared colour on her face at his mother's suggestion. In the Braj region around Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Nandgaon, Holi stretches over about a week: Lathmar Holi, where women of Barsana playfully fend off men from Nandgaon with sticks; Phoolon wali Holi with flower petals at Vrindavan temples; and Huranga at Dauji near Mathura after the main day.

Holi in other parts of India

• West Bengal and Odisha – Dol Jatra or Dol Purnima, when Radha-Krishna idols are carried on a decorated palanquin; Shantiniketan holds Basanta Utsav with songs and dance.
• Punjab – Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib, a Sikh gathering with displays of martial skill, begins around the day after Holi.
• Maharashtra – Holi is the bonfire night, with puran poli offered to the fire; colours are played on Rang Panchami, five days later.
• Goa – Shigmo, a spring festival of folk dance and float parades.
• Manipur – Yaoshang, a five-day festival with sports and the Thabal Chongba dance.

Holi food

Gujiya – a fried pastry filled with khoya, coconut and dry fruit – is the classic Holi sweet in North India, made at home in large batches. Thandai, a chilled milk drink with almonds, fennel, pepper and rose petals, is served everywhere; in some places it is mixed with bhang, which is intoxicating and best avoided by children, older people and anyone driving. Malpua, dahi bhalla, kanji vada, papdi and namak pare round off the table.

Playing Holi safely

• Prefer natural or skin-safe gulal; cheap synthetic colours can contain industrial dyes that irritate skin and eyes.
• Rub coconut or mustard oil on skin and hair beforehand so colour washes off more easily.
• Protect eyes; if colour gets in, rinse with plenty of clean water.
• Ask before colouring someone – not everyone wants to play – and avoid throwing water balloons at strangers or animals.
• Do not drive after drinking bhang or alcohol.

Holi puja samagri (what you need)

• Cow-dung cakes (gulariya or badkulla)
• Raw cotton thread (kachcha soot)
• Roli and turmeric
• Akshat (unbroken rice)
• Flowers and a garland
• Whole moong and gram
• Coconut
• Batasha or gur (jaggery)
• Gulal
• A lota of water
• Ears of new wheat or barley

How to do Holi puja, step by step

1. Collect wood and cow-dung cakes at the Holika site in the days before, keeping a stick in the centre to represent Prahlad.
2. On the evening of Holika Dahan, face east or north and sprinkle water around the pyre.
3. Offer roli, akshat, flowers, turmeric, moong, batasha and a coconut.
4. Wind raw cotton thread around the pyre while walking around it three or seven times.
5. Offer water from the lota, then light the fire at the time given in your local panchang.
6. Roast ears of new grain in the fire and share them as prasad; some families take a little ash home for luck.