Holika Dahan
Also called Chhoti Holi, Kama Dahanam, Holika Deepak
When
Sunday, 21 March 2027 in 192 days
New Delhi ยท change location
at sunrise. This observance is governed by pradosh, not by the sunrise tithi โ which is why the tithi named here is often not the one the festival is named for.
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Governed by pradosh
Why this date?
Phalguna Purnima, taken in the evening. The bonfire is lit at a muhurta after sunset that excludes the Bhadra period, which is why the lighting time and not the day is what almanacs publish for it.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- The governing period is stated, and the rule is applied to it
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
- Sunday, 21 March 2027 in 192 days
- Friday, 10 March 2028 in 547 days
- Wednesday, 28 February 2029 in 902 days
- Tuesday, 19 March 2030 in 1286 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The bonfire on the night before Holi. A pyre is built through the preceding weeks, and lit after dark; grain from the new harvest is roasted in it.
Why The reason behind it
Holika sat in the fire holding Prahlada, protected by a boon, and burnt while the child she meant to kill did not. The fire is the boon failing. In the south the same night is Kama Dahanam, the burning of Kama by Shiva's third eye โ a different story on the same fire.
Traditional basis
Bhagavata Purana, Prahlada narrative โ The Holika episode the bonfire commemorates.
Kama Dahana tradition โ The southern reading of the same night, as Kama's burning.
How At home, step by step
- Build the pyre in the days before; light it after dark at the prescribed muhurta.
- Circle the fire; roast new grain and gram in it.
- Carry embers or ash home where that custom is kept.
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not a fasting day.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- North India yours
The bonfire is a neighbourhood event, with the pyre built communally for weeks. - Andhra & Telangana (Telugu)
Kept as Kama Dahanam, with the Kama narrative foremost. - Maharashtra (Marathi)
Kept as Holi Paurnima, with the fire on the same night.
For children
The big bonfire the night before Holi. It is lit because of a story where a girl who could not be burnt sat in a fire to kill a boy, and the fire took her instead of him.
Common questions
- Why does the lighting time matter so much?
- Because the muhurta must avoid the Bhadra period, which is held inauspicious for it. That is why almanacs publish a time window for Holika Dahan rather than only a date.
Not the same day
These fall nearby or share the tithi, and are often confused with this observance. They are separate, and this site dates them separately.
- Holi
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.