Holi is one of the most beautiful and unique Indian festivals. It is the festival of colours and joy, is one of the most awaited festivals in India. It is the day when people come together in love, smearing colours, eating gujiyas, applying gulaal, throwing water, and much more. It is a day of camaraderie, and people love to spend time with their close friends and family during the day. In fact, the excitement is such that people start collecting colours, gulaal, water guns, balloons, and Gujiyas weeks in advance.
And every year there is some confusion about the exact date of Holi and whether Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi will fall on the same day.
Date and Timings for Holi 2025
Holi celebrations take place over two days – Chhoti Holi, the day of Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi, the day when people play with colours. Holika Dahan is the ritual bonfire that is lit up on the evening before Rangwali Holi, and is a sign of the victory of good over evil.
According to Drik Panchang, the dates and timings for Holi 2025 are:
Holika Dahan: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Rangwali Holi: Friday, March 14, 2025
Purnima Tithi Begins: 10:35 AM on March 13, 2025
Purnima Tithi Ends: 12:23 PM on March 14, 2025
Holika Dahan Muhurat
Holika Dahan Muhurat: 11:26 PM to 12:30 AM (March 14)
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes
Bhadra Kaal and Holika Dahan
In 2025, there is Bhadra Kaal on the day of Holika Dahan, and thus people have a set time when the bonfire is to be lit. Bhadra Kaal is an inauspicious time when no religious ceremonies should be performed, as it is believed to bring misfortune, and the Bhadra timings for March 13 are:
“Bhadra Punchha: 6:57 PM to 8:14 PM
Bhadra Mukha: 8:14 PM to 10:22 PM”
Rituals and significance of Holika Dahan
Holika Dahan is a part of Hindu rituals and customs, and is the day when Holika, the evil aunt of a young Prahlad, was reduced to ashes by Lord Vishnu.
According to legend, Prahlad was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu, but his father Hiranyakashyap wanted everyone to worship him for his strength and power. And Prahlad’s devotion to Lord Vishnu was a displeasure of his father. Enraged by Prahlad’s devotion, Hiranyakashipu conspired with his sister, Holika, to kill him. Holika had a magical cloak that made her immune to fire, and she tricked Prahlad into sitting with her in the flames in order to kill him.
But, Lord Vishnu came to Prahlad’s rescue, and with his divine intervention, Prahlad was unharmed, and Holika turned into ashes.
Since then, Holika Dahan has been observed to honour the victory of righteousness over wickedness.
Holika Dahan rituals
The first step of Holika Dahan also starts days in advance with little children gathering fallen wood, twigs, leaves, and other things that are used to light the bonfire. In some societies, people make effigies of Holika, and burn it in the bonfire as a symbol of the finishing of evil from their lives.
And as the fire burns, people pray for protection from evil and let go of negativity.
The Rangwali Holi
The next day, after Holika is reduced to ashes, people celebrate Holi with colours, water, gulaal, sweets, and more. Unlike Holika Dahan that has a specific muhurat, people start playing colour Holi whenever they want to start. The festivities start in the morning, as soon as people wake up and have their breakfast, and they run around with their friends smearing gulaal on everyone and drenching them with water.
Little children have fancy pichkaris on their backs, water balloons in their pockets, and colours in their hand. There are the occasional breaks for which people go home, have a Gujiya, some water, and the fun continues.
Dos’ and don’ts for a safer Holi
While no one likes rules and restrictions, especially in the time of festivals, it is important to remember some things to make Holi safe and enjoyable for all.
For example, in the dos, the first thing to remember is to use organic colours, preferably herbal gulaal, and not chemical dyes that will leave a stain on your face.Plus, before you go out, make sure to apply oil to your head and some moisturizer to your face, so that the colour does not stick and damage your skin and hair.
And in the don’ts, it is of utmost importance to play Holi with consent. Do not force people into playing with you and do not apply colours to them if they say no. No Holi or celebration is fun if it is forced and it is best to not make someone feel unsafe.
