In Maharashtra the full-moon night of Phalgun is Holi, the night of the bonfire, and the morning after is Dhulivandan or Dhulwad, when the ashes are saluted and colour is played. The older custom keeps colour for Rang Panchami, five days later. In the Konkan the whole fortnight is Shimga, when village gods leave their temples in palanquins and visit every house.
The story
The fire recalls Holika, who sat in the flames with her nephew Pralhad and burned while he lived. Into it go a coconut and puran poli, and the cry that goes up round it, a loud slapping of the mouth called bomb marne, is meant to drive off whatever is evil.
Shimga in the Konkan is the year's homecoming: those who work in Mumbai go back to their villages to shoulder the palkhi of the gram-devata.
होळी रे होळी, पुरणाची पोळी
Holi, O Holi, and a poli stuffed with puran
Called out round the fire
How it is kept
- Holi pujanA castor or other tree trunk is set up, wood and dung cakes piled round it, and the fire lit after sunset.
- Puran poliThe sweet flatbread stuffed with chana dal and jaggery is the offering and the meal.
- DhulivandanNext morning the ashes are touched to the forehead, and colour and water are thrown.
- Rang PanchamiOn the fifth day, colour is played in earnest, especially in Nashik, Pune and inland towns.
- PalkhiIn Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg the gods are carried dancing from house to house.
Why this date
The Holi fire is lit on the evening of Phalgun Purnima, after Bhadra has passed. Dhulivandan is the following day, and is the date shown here. Rang Panchami falls on the fifth day of the dark half.
Holi and Dhulivandan in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Friday | |
| 2026 | Wednesday | |
| 2027 | Tuesday | |
| 2028 | Saturday | |
| 2029 | Thursday | |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
More Marathi festivals
15 FebruaryMaha Shivaratriमहाशिवरात्री
19 MarchGudi Padwaगुढीपाडवा
26 MarchRam Navamiश्रीराम नवमी
25 JanuaryRatha Saptamiरथसप्तमी
14 JanuaryMakar Sankrantiमकर संक्रांत
2 AprilHanuman Jayantiहनुमान जयंती
Where to see Holi and Dhulivandan
In Maharashtra
- Ratnagiri and the KonkanMaharashtraShimga: two weeks of palanquin processions, folk plays and drumming.
- NashikMaharashtraRang Panchami is played in the old city from great stone tanks called rahad.
- Girgaon and the Koliwadas, MumbaiMaharashtraThe fishing villages of the city keep their own Holi, with women carrying pots on their heads to the fire.
Across India
- BarsanaUttar PradeshLathmar Holi in Radha's village.
- Anandpur SahibPunjabHola Mohalla, on the day after.
- PanajiGoaShigmo, Goa's spring festival, with float parades through the city.