When we have to celebrate Holi?

Holi, the vibrant Festival of Colours, arrives each year with joy, laughter, and a riot of hues. Yet, a common question often surfaces: Is Holi celebrated on the third or the fourth of march? The confusion is understandable, but the answer lies not in numbered days, rather in the traditional Hindu lunar calendar

Holi is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month of Phalguna. Hindu festivals follow lunar phases instead of fixed calendar dates, Holi’s position shifts each year in the Gregorian calendar, sometimes leading to misconceptions.

The celebration traditionally unfolds in two parts. The first is Holika Dahan, observed on the night of the full moon. Bonfires are lit across the country, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The ritual draws from the legend of Prahlada and Holika — a story that represents faith, righteousness, and divine protection. The fire becomes a symbolic cleansing, where negativity and past grievances are believed to be burned away.

The second part, widely known as Rangwali Holi or Dhulandi, takes place the following day. Streets and courtyards transform into canvases of colour as people smear gulal, splash colours, and celebrate togetherness. Social barriers momentarily dissolve, replaced by music, dance, and shared happiness. Holi thus becomes not merely a festival, but an expression of collective spirit.

This is why you might see both dates mentioned — one for the ritual fire and the other for the joyful festival of colours that everyone looks forward to each spring.