In short
- Holi 2027
- Sunday, 21 March 2027
- Tithi
- Phalgun PurnimaPhalguna Purnima (amanta)
- Observed for
- The victory of faith over arrogance, and spring
- Holi (colours)
- Mon, 22 Mar · Sunrise 06:23 AM
What is it? The festival of colours on the day after Phalguna Purnima, with the Holika bonfire the night before.
Why do families keep it? Prahlada survived his aunt Holika’s fire through his faith in Vishnu while she burned; Krishna played colours with Radha in Braj.
What happens on the day? Holika puja and bonfire after sunset on Purnima; colours, music and gujiya the next morning.
When to observe Holi in 2027
| Purnima tithi begins | Sun, 21 Mar, 06:22 PM |
|---|---|
| Purnima tithi ends | Mon, 22 Mar, 04:14 PM |
| Sunset | 06:33 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 06:33 PM – 08:55 PM |
| Rahu Kaala — keep aside | 05:02 PM – 06:33 PM |
How the days unfold
- Sun, 21 Mar
Holika Dahan · Pradosh 06:33 PM – 08:55 PM
The bonfire is lit after sunset while Purnima runs, outside Bhadra; families walk around it and offer new wheat and coconut.
- Mon, 22 Mar
Holi (colours) · Sunrise 06:23 AM
Colours, water and gujiya from the morning; bath and visits to family in the afternoon.
What Holi means
Holika Dahan
The bonfire stands for Holika’s burning and Prahlada’s safety. New ears of wheat and barley are roasted in it — a harvest offering.
Holashtak
The eight days before Holika Dahan are Holashtak; weddings and griha pravesh are not held in them.
Braj Holi
In Barsana and Nandgaon, Lathmar Holi; in Vrindavan, Phoolon ki Holi with flowers.
Kamadahana in Karnataka
Karnataka burns an effigy of Kama, whom Shiva reduced to ashes, on the same night.
Prahlada and Holika
Who is in it: Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada, Holika, Narasimha
Hiranyakashipu won a boon that made him almost impossible to kill, and demanded that everyone worship him.
His son Prahlada worshipped only Vishnu. The king tried every way to kill the boy — poison, elephants, cliffs — and Prahlada survived each one.
Hiranyakashipu’s sister Holika had a shawl (in some tellings, a boon) that fire could not burn. She sat in a great fire with Prahlada on her lap.
The shawl flew from her to Prahlada. Holika burned; Prahlada came out unharmed, chanting Vishnu’s name.
Soon after, Vishnu came as Narasimha — neither man nor beast, at dusk, on the threshold — and ended Hiranyakashipu.
What it teaches: Faith protects; arrogance burns itself.
Holi puja at home, step by step
Getting ready
- 1Gather wood and dung cakes for the community Holika in the days before.
- 2Make gujiya and other sweets.
The puja
- 1In the evening, worship the Holika pyre with roli, rice, flowers, raw cotton thread, turmeric, moong and coconut.
- 2Wind the raw cotton thread around the pyre three or seven times while walking around it.
- 3Light the fire at the time given by the panchang (after sunset, outside Bhadra).
- 4Roast new ears of wheat and barley in the fire and share them.
- 5Next morning: play with colours, greet elders with gulal on their feet.
Closing the puja
- 1Bring a little ash home — some apply it as tilak for protection.
What to keep ready for Holi
Must have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Roli, rice, flowers, turmeric | A little of each | Holika puja |
| Raw cotton thread (kachcha soot) | 1 roll | Wound around the pyre |
| Coconut, moong, batasha | As needed | Offerings |
| New wheat or barley ears | A few | Roasted in the fire |
Good to have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Natural colours (gulal) | — | Safer for skin and eyes |
Family and regional customs
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Gujiya, thandai, malpua | — | North Indian Holi |
| Kama effigy | — | Kamadahana in Karnataka |
Good practice, and what to avoid
Please do
- Use natural, skin-safe colours.
- Light Holika outside Bhadra.
- Ask before putting colour on anyone.
Best avoided
- Throw colour or water at animals, strangers or the unwilling.
- Burn green trees for the pyre.
Chants for Holi
Holika puja verse
असृक्पाभयसंत्रस्तैः कृता त्वं होलि बालिशैः।
अतस्त्वां पूजयिष्यामि भूते भूतिप्रदा भव॥
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ಅಸೃಕ್ಪಾಭಯಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತೈಃ ಕೃತಾ ತ್ವಂ ಹೋಲಿ ಬಾಲಿಶೈಃ।
ಅತಸ್ತ್ವಾಂ ಪೂಜಯಿಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ಭೂತೇ ಭೂತಿಪ್ರದಾ ಭವ॥
asṛkpābhayasaṃtrastaiḥ kṛtā tvaṃ holi bāliśaiḥ| atastvāṃ pūjayiṣyāmi bhūte bhūtipradā bhava||
What it means: Holi, you were made by the simple folk afraid of the blood-drinkers; so I worship you — grant us prosperity.
Narasimha mantra
ॐ नमो भगवते नरसिंहाय
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ಓಂ ನಮೋ ಭಗವತೇ ನರಸಿಂಹಾಯ
oṃ namo bhagavate narasiṃhāya
What it means: A bow to Bhagavan Narasimha.
Holi from region to region
Braj
A week of Holi: Lathmar Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon, flowers in Vrindavan.
Bengal and Odisha
Dol Jatra: Radha-Krishna on a swing, coloured abir, and Chaitanya’s birthday.
Karnataka
Kamadahana on Purnima night; colours (Rangpanchami) in North Karnataka.
Maharashtra
Shimga and Rangpanchami, five days after Holi.
Have the Holi puja done for you
Two ways to do it. At a temple: the pandit takes your family’s name and gotra in the sankalpa and sends you the photos and video. At home: a pandit from our panel comes to you with the vidhi, and you sit for the puja yourself.
Where this comes from
- Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, for Prahlada.
- Narada Purana and Bhavishya Purana for Holika puja.
How we work out the dates: Stuti Mandir’s own panchanga engine places the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa) and checks the tithi against sunrise, sunset and moonrise in Delhi, in IST. A printed panchanga may differ by a minute or so. Where your family’s panchanga or your purohita says otherwise, go with them.
Questions devotees ask us
When is Holi 2027?
Sunday, 21 March 2027. In Delhi, Phalguna Purnima (amanta; Phalgun Purnima in the North Indian count) begins Sun, 21 Mar, 06:22 PM and ends Mon, 22 Mar, 04:14 PM IST.
Will Mysuru and Delhi keep Holi on the same day?
Mostly yes. But the sun rises and sets at different times in different towns, and a habba is kept on the day its tithi is running at the right hour — so timings shift, and once in a while the date does too. Change the town above to see yours.
What time is Holika Dahan?
After sunset while Phalguna Purnima is running and Bhadra (Vishti karana) is not. The table shows Pradosh kaal for your town; check Bhadra with your panchang or pandit.
Are weddings held during Holashtak?
No. The eight days before Holika Dahan are avoided for weddings, griha pravesh and other beginnings.