Festival · Holika Dahan and the festival of colours
Holi 2027: date, tithi and muhurat
Holi 2027 falls on Monday, 22 March, on Purnima of Phalguna. The times here are for Chandigarh; choose your city to see yours.
What Holi is
Holi is the spring festival of colours, kept on and after the full moon of Phalguna. It begins the evening before with Holika Dahan, a bonfire that recalls the story of the devotee Prahlada and the triumph of faith over arrogance. The next day brings Rangwali Holi, also called Dhulandi, when people play with colours, share sweets and mend quarrels. Braj has its own long season, from Lathmar Holi at Barsana onward.
How the date is fixed
Holika Dahan is lit on the first evening whose Pradosh holds Purnima, after Bhadra has ended. Bhadra is the Vishti karana in the first half of Purnima, a window the texts avoid for lighting the fire. If Bhadra runs past midnight, the fire moves to the next evening provided Purnima ended no more than about two hours before that evening’s sunset; otherwise it is lit in the tail of Bhadra on the first night. Rangwali Holi is the day after the Dahan.
Dates for 2026 to 2028
Holi is on Wednesday, 4 March in 2026, Monday, 22 March in 2027 and Saturday, 11 March in 2028. These dates are calculated from the sky for Chandigarh, not copied from a printed calendar. It falls on Purnima of Phalguna. Holika Dahan is lit on the evening before Holi: Tuesday, 3 March, Sunday, 21 March, Friday, 10 March.
| Year | Date | Tithi and month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, 4 March · Holika Dahan: Tuesday, 3 March | Purnima · Phalguna |
| 2027 | Monday, 22 March · Holika Dahan: Sunday, 21 March | Purnima · Phalguna |
| 2028 | Saturday, 11 March · Holika Dahan: Friday, 10 March | Purnima · Phalguna |
Muhurat for Holi
For Chandigarh in 2027, the main time is the Holika Dahan muhurat (after Bhadra): 1:27 am – 2:32 am on Monday, 22 March. Sunrise, sunset and the parts of the day move with the city, so the window, and sometimes the day itself, can change elsewhere. Choose your city below and the tables follow.
| Muhurat | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holika Dahan muhurat (after Bhadra) | 6:23 pm (3 Mar) – 8:51 pm (3 Mar) | 1:27 am – 2:32 am | 8:29 pm (10 Mar) – 8:54 pm (10 Mar) |
| Bhadra (avoid for lighting the fire) | 5:56 pm (2 Mar) – 5:29 am (3 Mar) | 6:22 pm (21 Mar) – 5:15 am | 10:21 am (10 Mar) – 8:29 pm (10 Mar) |
Families gather at the Holika pyre at dusk, circle it, and offer grain and coconut. The colours are played the following morning, and in the afternoon people visit relatives.
Because Purnima can start and end at awkward hours, two neighbouring cities sometimes light the fire on different evenings; the table is calculated for your chosen city.
A share card for the Holi muhurat is coming. Today the app has one for Diwali only.
Questions people ask
What is Bhadra and why does it matter for Holika Dahan?
Bhadra is the Vishti karana, one of the eleven half-tithis, and it falls in the first half of the Purnima. The classical texts advise against beginning auspicious acts such as lighting the Holika fire during Bhadra, so the muhurat is placed after it ends, or in its tail when it runs very late.
Is Holi on the same day as Holika Dahan?
No. Holika Dahan is the evening of the Purnima, and Holi, the day of colours, is the next morning, which is why Holi often falls on the day after the full moon.
Why do Holi dates differ between calendars?
Both events depend on when Purnima and Bhadra start and end in your city. When they fall close to sunset, the calendars of different cities can differ by a day. This site calculates the day for the city you choose.
When is Holi in 2026, 2027 and 2028?
Holi is on Wednesday, 4 March 2026; Monday, 22 March 2027; Saturday, 11 March 2028, calculated for Chandigarh. In another city the day can differ by one when the tithi starts or ends close to the time of day the rule uses.
How does JYOTISH.info calculate Holi?
From the sky, with the astronomy-engine library on the Lahiri sidereal zodiac: the lunar month from the Sun’s sign at the new moon, the tithi from the Moon–Sun angle, and the day part that the festival’s own rule asks for, at the city’s sunrise and sunset. Nothing is copied from a table. The rule is stated above and the full method is on the method page.
Every position on this page is calculated sidereal with the Lahiri ayanamsa from the astronomy-engine library (MIT licence). The classical texts describe tendencies; this page is for guidance and reflection, not a verdict, and no outcome is promised. How we calculate. This is the English page and the legal reference. The same page is available in Hindi. Checked October 2026.