Holi, the colorful festival celebrated with fervor across India, is just around the corner. This year, Falgun Purnima, which marks the Holika Dahan (bonfire) and the following day of Holi, falls on March 24th and 25th.
Falgun Purnima Date and Timings
The Falgun Purnima begins on the morning of March 24th at 9:54 AM and ends the next day, March 25th, at 12:29 PM.
Holika Dahan 2024
Holika Dahan, the ritual of burning the bonfire, is observed on March 24th. The auspicious timing for Holika Dahan starts at 11:13 PM and lasts until 12:27 AM, giving a total of 1 hour and 14 minutes for the ceremony.
Rituals for Holika Dahan Pooja
Let’s take a look at the simple steps for performing the Holika Dahan Pooja:
- Take a Bath: Begin by taking a bath to purify yourself.
- Seat Yourself: After bathing, sit facing north or east at the designated place for the Holika Dahan Pooja.
- Create Holika and Prahlad Effigies: Use cow dung to create effigies of Holika and Prahlad. Place these effigies in the pooja area.
- Gather Pooja Items: Collect the required items for the pooja, including turmeric powder, flowers, flower garlands, raw thread, jaggery, whole turmeric, moong dal, batasha (sugar candy), gulal (color powder), coconut, and 5 to 7 types of grains. Also, keep water in a container for the pooja.
- Perform the Pooja: Now, perform the pooja with all the items gathered, following the traditional rituals. Offer sweets and fruits as part of the pooja.
- Pooja for Lord Narasimha: Along with Holika, also perform the pooja for Lord Narasimha, who protected Prahlad. Offer prayers and perform aarti.
- Circumambulation (Parikrama): After the pooja, do seven rounds of circumambulation (parikrama) around the Holika bonfire in a clockwise direction.
When is Holi 2024?
Holi, the colorful festival, is celebrated the day after Holika, so this year it’s on March 25th. On this day, Holi will be celebrated with great enthusiasm all across the country.
