Holi · Rangwali Holi, Dhulandi, Phagwa
The festival of colours: joy, friendship and spring.
In 147 days Phalguna Shukla PurnimaTimes for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: The day after Holika Dahan (Chaitra Krishna Pratipada, purnimanta)
Holi timings, Monday, 22 March 2027, New Delhi
| Purnima tithi begins | 6:22 pm (21 Mar) |
|---|---|
| Purnima tithi ends | 4:14 pm |
| Purnima ends | 4:14 pm |
| Sunrise | 6:23 am |
| Sunset | 6:33 pm |
The time after that: Saturday, 11 March 2028
All times are for New Delhi, computed from the sidereal (Lahiri) panchang. They update themselves daily and roll over to the next date once the festival has passed. Today’s panchang for New Delhi
Holi is the festival of colours, friendship and spring. After the Holika Dahan bonfire, people spend the morning playing with colours and water, then visit friends with gujiya and thandai. Here is this year’s date and the timings around it for your city.
Meaning and story of Holi
Holi celebrates the playful love of Radha and Krishna, who is said to have coloured Radha’s face in Braj, and the victory of devotion in the story of Prahlad. In Mathura and Vrindavan it lasts for days, with Lathmar Holi in Barsana.
Its spirit is equality and forgiveness: colours make everyone look the same, and “bura na mano, Holi hai” lets old grievances melt away.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- In the morning, offer a little colour (gulal) to Krishna or your family deity first.
- Apply gulal to elders’ feet and ask their blessings; then play with friends and family.
- Prefer dry natural colours; keep play to the morning by custom.
- Bathe, rest and visit friends in the afternoon with sweets.
What you will need
- Natural gulal (herbal or flower-based)
- Gujiya, malpua, thandai
- Coconut oil for skin and hair
- Old clothes
Do
- Oil your skin and hair before playing.
- Ask before colouring someone.
- Use herbal colours and save water.
- Keep pets indoors and away from colours.
Avoid
- Don’t force colour on anyone who says no.
- Avoid chemical colours, eggs or mud.
- Don’t throw balloons at passers-by or vehicles.
- Avoid alcohol and bhang if you are driving or unwell.
A small note for each rashi this Holi
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Say the warm words out loud today; your partner and family will treasure your openness.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Show love in a practical way: cook, plan or help, the way you do best.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Plan a long, unhurried conversation with someone you love; listening is your gift today.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Let yourself be cared for too; receiving love gracefully is part of the festival.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Say the warm words out loud today; your partner and family will treasure your openness.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Show love in a practical way: cook, plan or help, the way you do best.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Plan a long, unhurried conversation with someone you love; listening is your gift today.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Let yourself be cared for too; receiving love gracefully is part of the festival.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Say the warm words out loud today; your partner and family will treasure your openness.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Show love in a practical way: cook, plan or help, the way you do best.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Plan a long, unhurried conversation with someone you love; listening is your gift today.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Let yourself be cared for too; receiving love gracefully is part of the festival.
Questions about Holi
When is Holi?
The next Holi is on Monday, 22 March 2027: The day after Holika Dahan (Chaitra Krishna Pratipada, purnimanta). For New Delhi, purnima ends: 4:14 pm. Times change by city; choose yours above.
Is Holi on Purnima or the day after?
Holika Dahan is on the Purnima evening and Holi colours are played the next day.
How do I make natural colours?
Turmeric with gram flour for yellow, beetroot for pink, dried henna for green and tesu (palash) flowers for orange are traditional.
What is Lathmar Holi?
A Holi of Barsana and Nandgaon near Mathura where women playfully “fight off” the men of Krishna’s village with sticks, a few days before Holi.
Why is Holi called a festival of forgiveness?
People visit even those they had disagreements with and greet them with colour and sweets. It is a day to start afresh.
How are these dates worked out?
Every festival is fixed by a rule: the lunar month, the paksha, the tithi, and the part of the day (such as pradosh, madhyahna or nishita) in which that tithi must fall. Our engine finds the next time that happens from the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun and Moon and computes the muhurat from your city’s sunrise and sunset. Dates are checked against Drik Panchang. Where traditions differ, such as Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, we say so above; your family custom or local priest always comes first.
Pair the festival with your own chart
Detailed Kundli Milan: Full Ashtakoot (36-point guna milan) plus a chart-to-chart reading for two people.
The weekly letter, every Saturday
The week’s festivals and muhurats, an outlook for all 12 rashis, one transit and a small idea to keep. Free, one email a week.