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Holika Dahan 2023: Holi – the festival of colors – is one of the most important and auspicious Hindu festivals, celebrated with great fanfare by Indians all over the world. Holi falls on March 8 this year. People celebrate Choti Holi or Holika Dahan before Holi, a significant day for Hindus representing the triumph of good over evil. The festival of colors begins the night before Holi with devotees lighting the Holika bonfire, which symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and happiness over sorrow. Though Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, also known as Holika Deepak, falls a day before Holi and Badi Holi every year. This year, it is unclear whether it will fall on March 6 or March 7. Keep scrolling to know all about the correct date, city-wise muhurat, puja vidhi, samagri, history, and more of this grand occasion.
According to Drik Panchang, Choti Holi or Holika Dahan falls on March 7 this year. The Holika Dahan muhurat will last from 06:24 pm to 08:51 pm on March 7.
Bhadra Punchha – 12:43 am to 02:01 am
Bhadra Mukha – 02:01 am to 04:11 am
Meanwhile, the Purnima Tithi will begin at 04:17 pm on March 6 and end at 06:09 pm on March 7.
City-wise Holika Dahan Muhurat:
According to Drik Panchang, here is the city-wise muhurat of Holika Dahan is as follows:
New Delhi – 06:24 pm to 08:51 pm
Pune – 06:42 pm to 09:07 pm
Chennai – 06:18 pm to 08:43 pm
Kolkata – 05:42 pm to 06:09 pm
Hyderabad – 06:24 pm to 08:49 pm
Ahmedabad – 06:45 pm to 09:11 pm
Noida – 06:24 pm to 08:51 pm
Jaipur – 06:31 pm to 08:58 pm
Mumbai – 06:46 pm to 09:11 pm
Gurgaon – 06:25 pm to 08:52 pm
Bengaluru – 06:29 pm to 08:54 pm
Chandigarh – 06:25 pm to 08:53 pm
Holika Dahan Puja Vidhi 2023:
People perform the Holika puja during Holika Dahan or Choti Holi by lighting a bonfire outside their homes with their community. They burn Holika effigies in the evening or late at night to commemorate the triumph of good over evil, worship the location where the wood for burning Holika is collected, wrap the wood three or seven times with white thread, and sprinkle holy water, kumkum, and flowers on it. On the Holika bonfire, people also roast green cereals.
Holika Dahan Samagri:
To perform Holika Dahan, one needs a glass of holy water, a garland made of cow dung, akshat, flowers, garlands, roli, moli, jaggery, turmeric, moong, batashe, gulal, coconut, and wheat baaliyan in the samagri.
Holika Dahan or Choti Holi History or Significance:
For Hindus, Choti Holi or Holika Dahan is extremely important. According to legend, the demon king Hiranyakashipu was bestowed with the boon that no man or animal could ever kill him. Hiranyakashipu, insane with power, forced people to worship him as their god. Hiranyakashipu’s son devoted himself to Lord Vishnu and refused to obey his father’s orders. The demon king became enraged and requested that his sister Holika execute him by sitting on a pyre while wearing a flame-shielding cloth. However, Prahlad prayed to Lord Vishnu for protection, causing a wind to blow and transfer the shawl to Prahlad. Holika died in the flames, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
Source:HT
