A colleague once asked why the Holi bonfire happens the night before the actual color-throwing day. The bonfire, Holika Dahan, is a separate ritual with its own story and its own tithi, and it always lands exactly one night before Holi.
The 2027 date
Holika Dahan 2027 falls on Sunday, March 21, on Purnima (full moon) tithi of Phalguna month. Holi itself, the color festival, follows the next day, March 22.
The story behind the fire
The bonfire commemorates the demoness Holika, who tried to burn Prahlad, a devotee of Vishnu, in fire while protected by a boon that made her immune to flames. The boon failed because she misused it, and Prahlad emerged unharmed while Holika burned. The bonfire is lit to mark good triumphing over evil, and people circle it, offer grains, and sing.
Why the date is lunar, not fixed
Holika Dahan is tied to the Purnima tithi of Phalguna, a lunar date, which is why it moves against the Gregorian calendar each year rather than falling on a fixed date like a solar festival.
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What is the 2027 date for Holika Dahan?
Sunday, March 21, 2027.
Is Holika Dahan the same as Holi?
No. Holika Dahan is the bonfire the night before; Holi, the color festival, is the next day.
What tithi does Holika Dahan fall on?
Purnima (full moon) of Phalguna month.
Why does the date change every year?
Because it is fixed to a lunar tithi, not a solar date.
What is thrown into the Holika bonfire?
Grains, coconut, and sometimes cow dung cakes, as offerings alongside the ritual.
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