Holika Dahan is on March 28, Sunday. Holika Dahan is also known as Holika Deepak or Chhoti Holi. Holi is the most popular festival in India after Diwali. Holika Dahan celebrates the victory of good over evil. People light a bonfire on Holika Dahan, which is of great significance. Though Holika Dahan starts mostly after sunset, there is a specific time for lighting the fire. People sing and dance around the fire. Holika Dahan marks the beginning of the Rangwali Holi celebrations. This year amid the Covid19 pandemic, Holi celebrations are likely to be muted. Experts are repeatedly advising people not to take the pandemic lightly and take complete precautions, which include wearing face masks and avoid large gatherings.  

Holika Dahan 2021 date amd muhurat

• Holika Dahan is on Sunday, March 28
• Holika Dahan Muhurta begins a 6:37 PM and ends at 8:56 PM
• Holi Purnima tithi begins at 3:27 AM on March 28 and ends at 12:17 AM on March 29

Holika Dahan: Know the legend behind it

There are several legends of Holika Dahan but the one that is most popularly told is about Prahlada, the son of demon Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. According to legends, Prahlada was born and brought up under the tutelage of a sage called Narada. Around this time, Hiranyakashipu was trying to please Lord Brahma to get immortality. Hiranyakashipu was an enemy of Vishnu and he was angry over Prahlada for being a devotee of Vishnu.

The demon was upset after Prahlada refused to obey Hiranyakashipu, who asked his sister Holika, to kill Prahlada. Holika made a plan to kill Prahlada in a bonfire. She thought she would take Prahlada in the bonfire and kill him. Holika had a divine shawl, gifted by Lord Brahma, to protect her. As Prahlada was a devotee of Vishnu, the divine shawl saved Prahlada instead of Holika.

It is belied that Prahlada started chanting the name of Vishnu when the fire was lit. Vishnu saw that his devotee was in great danger and he summoned the wind, which blew the shawl off Holika and covered Prahlada. Holika was burned to ashes and Prahlada’s life was saved.  The story of Prahlada demonstrates the victory of good over evil.