హోలీ 2026 గైడ్: హోలికా దహనం, ఫాల్గుణ పూర్ణిమ మరియు రంగుల పండుగ

Holi 2026 Date: Phalguna Purnima and Holika Dahan Timing

Holi 2026 is celebrated over two days: Holika Dahan on the Purnima (full moon) night of the Hindu month of Phalguna, and Rangwali Holi (the festival of colors) on the following morning. Phalguna Purnima in 2026 falls in early March. The Holika Dahan must be performed during the Pradosh Kaal — the period after sunset — when the Purnima tithi is in effect and the Bhadra period (an inauspicious portion of certain lunar tithis) has ended. The Bhadra consideration is critical: tradition strictly forbids performing Holika Dahan when Bhadra is active, and in years when Bhadra extends into the evening of Purnima, the bonfire must wait until Bhadra concludes. Regional panchang authorities provide exact windows for Holika Dahan muhurat. Rangwali Holi, when people celebrate by smearing each other with colors and colored water, takes place on the morning and afternoon of the day following Purnima — called Dhuleti in Gujarat, Dhulandi in Rajasthan, and simply Holi or Phag everywhere else. In Braj (Mathura-Vrindavan), the celebrations extend over many days in advance, with Lathmar Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon being among the most famous in the world, where women traditionally beat men with sticks while the men shield themselves — a playful re-enactment of the mythological games of Radha and Krishna.