Holi 2027 is on Tuesday

About Holi

Holi belongs to the full moon of Phalguna, the last month of the Hindu lunar year, and it unfolds over two days. On the evening of Phalguna Purnima, the full-moon day, neighborhoods light Holika Dahan bonfires. They recall the story of Prahlada, a young devotee of Vishnu whose father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu, wanted him dead. The king's sister Holika sat with the boy on a pyre, protected by a fireproof cloak, but the cloak shielded Prahlada instead and Holika burned. The next morning is the famous part: friends, neighbors and strangers chase one another with gulal (colored powder) and water, and the usual lines of age, caste and status are set aside for the day.

In the Braj region around Mathura and Vrindavan, Krishna's childhood home, the colors are tied to a different story. Krishna, troubled that his skin was dark blue and Radha's was fair, playfully smeared color on her face, and towns there are known for especially lively celebrations. Across India the afternoon usually turns to washing up, fresh clothes, visits to relatives and plates of sweets.

Because Holi follows the lunar calendar, it moves between late February and late March. The date shown is the Government of India's holiday for central government offices in Delhi, which is the main color-throwing day. Regional calendars sometimes differ by a day, and the official list itself can surprise: for 2027 it places Holika Dahan on Monday, March 22 and Holi on Tuesday, March 23. Holi is a closed holiday for central government offices in Delhi and one of the optional festival holidays for offices elsewhere in India. It is also celebrated in Nepal and by Indian communities around the world.

Sources: Britannica: Holi, Festival of Colors, Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training: holidays for central government offices in 2027 (O.M. 12/2/2023-JCA, 16 July 2026). How we check dates.

How to mark Holi

• Buy or make plant-based colors, such as turmeric yellow or beetroot pink, instead of synthetic powders that can irritate skin and eyes.
• Rub coconut or mustard oil into your hair and skin before playing so the color washes off more easily.
• Join a community Holika Dahan bonfire the evening before and learn the story of Prahlada.
• Make gujiya or another festive sweet and share a plate with neighbors.
• Ask before coloring anyone, and keep water and powder away from pets, babies and people who opt out.

Holi dates