Holi will be celebrated on Thursday, 21 March this year. On the day of Holi, people splash colours over each other and also play with water guns and balloons. In the evening, people prepare and relish delicious meals.
The festival, also known to be the harbinger of spring, fertility and vitality, is celebrated on the last full moon of the Hindu lunar month Phalguna.
A day before Holi, Holika Dahan is performed as a huge bonfire is lit “to burn out the evil spirits”. Accordingly, Holika Dahan will be celebrated on Wednesday, 20 March this year.
Holika Dahan Shubh Muhurat and Timings
According to Hindu mythology, Holika Dahan must be performed at a specific time on the Purnima Tithi only after the Sunset. However, the exact time for Holika Dahan varies from state to state across India.
- Holika Dahan Timing 2019 - 20:57 to 24:28+ hours
- Holika Dahan Duration - 3 Hour 30 Mins
- Bhadra Punchha - 17:23 to 18:24 hours
- Bhadra Mukha - 18:24 to 20:07 hours
Holika Dahan: History & Significance
According to mythology, Holi signifies the victory of good over evil and is tied to the story of Prince Prahlad and Holika.
Prahlad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. This enraged his father, a powerful king named Hiranyakashyap, who wanted to be worshipped instead. Incensed by the supposed impertinence of his son, his father conspired to get him killed through fire. It was decided that Prahlad would sit on the lap of Holika – the king’s sister. Holika, who was believed to be a demon, was immune against the flames of fire.
However, to everyone’s surprise, once the pyre was lit, Prahlad started chanting Lord Vishnu’s name and came out unscathed as opposed to Holika who was consumed by the flames.
Since then, Holika Dahan is celebrated across the country wherein people prepare a pyre of wood that is burnt to signify victory of good over evil. There is a myriad of beliefs associated with the festival but the story of Prahlad and Holika remains the most popular among all.
(With inputs from holifestival.org)