Holi 2026

About Holi

Holi, the festival of colours, is played on the day after Holika Dahan (Chaitra Krishna Pratipada). Friends and families meet, play with gulal and colours, and share gujiya and thandai.

How the date is fixed

It is kept on the day the tithi is present at sunrise. If the tithi starts and ends between two sunrises, it is kept on the day it falls.

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Story and meaning of Holi

Holi is linked with the playful love of Radha and Krishna in Braj, where Krishna, worried that his dark skin would make Radha not like him, was told by his mother Yashoda to colour her face. The festival also follows the burning of Holika, so it stands for the joy of good winning. It is also the welcome of spring and the new harvest.

Holi puja vidhi

1. Start the day with a puja and first apply a little gulal on the feet of elders.
2. Play with dry colours and herbal gulal, and keep colours away from the eyes.
3. Share gujiya, thandai, malpua and dahi bhalle with neighbours and relatives.
4. Take a bath after the play and wear clean clothes for the evening visits.

This is a common vidhi. Families and regions follow their own variations, so ask your priest for a special puja.