In 2024, Holi will be celebrated on 25th March, This festivals of colors come in Phalgun month every year. Holika Dahan takes place a night before Holi is celebrated. Holi is also known as Dhulendi.
Holika Dahan
This year Holika Dahan will be celebrated on 24 March 2024. Holika Dahan will be performed on Phalgun Poornima’s Pradosh Vyapani. It is performed after or before the Bhadra period. Incase Bhadra period does not get over by midnight and continues till the next day then Holika dahan is performed before the commencement of Bhadra period in Pradosh Kaal.
Holashtak
Holashtak witnesses the arrival of Holi. It is known as a poster informing about the arrival of Holi festival. The literal meaning of Holashtak is Hola + Ashtak, which means eight days before Holi. Basically, Holi is a festival of nine days instead of a single day. On the day of Dhulendi people celebrate Holi with colours and gulal.
Holi begins from Holashtak and is carried up to Dhulendi. Because of this the atmosphere gets joyful and happy for all eight days. Holashtak denotes the arrival of Holi festival. On this day preparations for Holika Dahan and Holashtak gets started, further moving to Holi.
Holika Puja
Holika puja is performed before Holika Dahan and after Bhadra period. Holika puja done after Bhadra period is considered very fruitful. Holika Dahan is done after performing Holika puja with proper rituals and tradition.
Historical significance of Holi
There are many legends in ancient scriptures related to Holi. According to the most famous legend, Hiranyakashipu's own son Prahlada, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu which not acceptable by the demon. One day, he ordered his son to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister Holika, who could not die because of a boon which would prevent fire from burning her. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders and continued praying Lord Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started Holika got burnt in the fire, while Prahlada survived unharmed. Since then the day is celebrated as a Holikas Dahan.
According to an another tale, Goddess Parvati was the daughter of Himalaya. Her desired to get married to Lord Shiva evoked Lord Kamdeva to obstruct the meditation of Lord Shiva. She desired to get married to Lord Shiva. Since Lord Shiva was deeply involved in his penance, it was difficult for the goddess to put forward her peroposal of marriage. Lord Kamdeva decided to disrupt his meditation inorder to help Parvati marry him. Shiva got furious with this act and destroyed Kama’s body into ashes. But was later restored on request of other gods and goddesses.