Holika Dahan · Choti Holi, Kamudu Pyre
The bonfire on the full-moon eve of Holi: good over ill-will.
In 146 days Phalguna Shukla PurnimaTimes for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Phalguna Purnima, during pradosh (avoiding Bhadra where possible)
Holika Dahan timings, Sunday, 21 March 2027, New Delhi
| Purnima tithi begins | 6:22 pm |
|---|---|
| Purnima tithi ends | 4:14 pm (22 Mar) |
| Bhadra ends | 5:18 am (22 Mar) |
| Holika Dahan muhurat | 6:32 pm – 8:54 pm |
| Pradosh kaal | 6:32 pm – 8:54 pm |
| Sunrise | 6:24 am |
| Sunset | 6:32 pm |
The time after that: Friday, 10 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
Holika Dahan is the bonfire lit on the night before Holi. Families gather, walk around the fire with offerings and celebrate the protection of the devoted boy Prahlad. Here is this year’s date, the muhurat and any Bhadra timings for your city.
Meaning and story of Holika Dahan
King Hiranyakashipu wanted his son Prahlad to stop worshipping Vishnu. His sister Holika, believed to be immune to fire, sat with Prahlad in a fire. Prahlad was protected by his faith and Holika was not. The bonfire celebrates goodness and faith outlasting arrogance.
It is also a harvest ritual: new wheat and barley ears are roasted in the fire and shared, and the ash is applied as a blessing.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Collect wood and cow-dung cakes for the community pyre in the days before.
- In the muhurat, offer water, roli, rice, flowers, raw cotton thread, turmeric, gram and new wheat ears.
- Wind raw cotton thread around the pyre three or seven times while walking around it.
- Light the fire, pray for protection of the family, and roast grains to share.
- Take a little cooled ash home as a blessing, by custom.
What you will need
- Raw cotton thread (kachcha soot)
- Roli, rice, flowers, turmeric
- Coconut and gram
- New wheat or barley ears
- Water lota
- Cow-dung cakes (gular)
Do
- Light the fire at a safe open spot, away from wires and vehicles.
- Use dry fallen wood and cow-dung cakes.
- Keep water and sand nearby.
- Keep children at a safe distance.
Avoid
- Don’t burn tyres, plastic or green trees.
- Avoid loose clothing near the fire.
- Don’t leave the fire unattended.
- Avoid alcohol around the pyre.
A small note for each rashi this Holika Dahan
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Channel your courage into protecting and encouraging others today.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Courage for you looks like patience: keep going with the task you had paused.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Speak up kindly about something that matters to you.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Be gentle with yourself; quiet inner strength is still strength.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Channel your courage into protecting and encouraging others today.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Courage for you looks like patience: keep going with the task you had paused.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Speak up kindly about something that matters to you.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Be gentle with yourself; quiet inner strength is still strength.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Channel your courage into protecting and encouraging others today.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Courage for you looks like patience: keep going with the task you had paused.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Speak up kindly about something that matters to you.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Be gentle with yourself; quiet inner strength is still strength.
Questions about Holika Dahan
When is Holika Dahan?
The next Holika Dahan is on Sunday, 21 March 2027: Phalguna Purnima, during pradosh (avoiding Bhadra where possible). For New Delhi, bhadra ends: 5:18 am (22 Mar). Times change by city; choose yours above.
What is Bhadra and why is it avoided?
Bhadra (Vishti karana) is a half-tithi that tradition avoids for auspicious beginnings. On Purnima it covers the first half of the tithi. When Bhadra lasts past midnight, almanacs allow Holika Dahan in pradosh anyway, as shown above.
Is Holika Dahan the day before Holi?
Yes. Holika Dahan is on the Purnima evening and Rangwali Holi is the next day, Chaitra Krishna Pratipada in the purnimanta calendar.
Why walk around the fire?
The parikrama, winding cotton thread, symbolises circling the family with protection and devotion.
Can it be done at home?
A tiny symbolic fire in a safe container can be lit at home; most families join the community pyre.
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.
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