Holi 2020 (Festival of Colors) : Holika Dahan & Rangwali Holi Date & Timing, Shubh Muhurta, History, Story, Celebration, Rituals. Holi Significance – Mythological, Cultural, Social and Biological, Holi Dahan Puja Process and Utsav check details here…

Holi 2020

Holi (Dolyatra, Doul Jatra, Basanta-Utsav) is the Hindu festival colors that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, good harvest, and fertility. It usually falls in the later part of February or March. Holi is popularly known as the Indian “festival of spring“, the “festival of colours“, or the “festival of love“. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of demon holika) or Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, or Phagwah.

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Holi 2020 : Date, Time, Celebration, Story, Rituals, Colors
Name of Festival	Holi
Also Know as	“festival of spring”, “festival of colours”, or “festival of love”.
Observed by	Hindus, Sikhs, also some Jains, Newar Buddhists and other non-Hindus
Festival Type	religious, cultural, spring festival
Celebrations	Night before: Holika Bonfire On Holi: spray colours on others, dance, party; eat festival delicacies
Holi Date 2019	Thursday, 21 March
Holi Date 2020	Monday, 9 March 2020
Holi Date 2021	Monday, 29 Mar 2021

2020 Holika Dahan Date and Timings

Holi 2020 : Date, Time, Celebration, Story, Rituals, Colors

Holika Dahan Shubh Muhurta and Rituals
Name of Event	Holika Dahan
Holika Dahan Date	Monday, March 9, 2020
Holika Dahan Muhurta	06:26 PM to 08:52 PM
Duration	02 Hours 26 Mins
Bhadra Punchha	09:37 AM to 10:38 AM
Bhadra Mukha	10:38 AM to 12:19 PM
Holika Dahan during Pradosh with Udaya Vyapini Purnima
Purnima Tithi Begins	03:03 AM on Mar 09, 2020
Purnima Tithi Ends	11:17 PM on Mar 09, 2020

2020 Rangwali Holi Date and Timings

Rangwali Holi Shubh Muhurta and Rituals
Name of Event	Rangwali Holi \| Dhulandi
Rangwali Holi Date	Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Purnima Tithi Begins	03:03 AM on Mar 09, 2020
Purnima Tithi Ends	11:17 PM on Mar 09, 2020

Holi History and rituals

How to celebrate holi?

Holi is a religious festival celebrated by Hindus all over the world. Holi is considered as second biggest festival on Hindu calendar after Diwali. Holi is also known as festival of Colors.

In most regions Holi festival is celebrated for two days. The first day is known as Jalanewali Holi – the day when Holi bonfire is done. This day is also known as Chhoti Holi and Holika Dahan. Holika Dahan is referred to Kama Dahanam in South India. The second day is known as Rangwali Holi – the day when people play with colored powder and colored water. Rangwali Holi which is main Holi day is also known as Dhulandi or Dhulendi (धुलण्डी). The other less popular pronunciations of Dhulandi are Dhuleti, Dhulheti.

Holika Dahan

According to Hindu scriptures Holika Dahan, which is also known as Holika Deepak or Chhoti Holi, should be done during Pradosh Kaal (which starts after sunset) while Purnimasi Tithi is prevailing. Bhadra prevails during first half of Purnimasi Tithi and all good work should be avoided when Bhadra prevails.

Preparation

Days before the festival people start gathering wood and combustible materials for the bonfire in parks, community centers, near temples and other open spaces. On top of the pyre is an effigy to signify Holika who tricked Prahalad into the fire. Inside homes, people stock up on pigments, food, party drinks and festive seasonal foods such as gujiya, mathri, malpuas and other regional delicacies.

Bonfire

On the eve of Holi, typically at or after sunset, the pyre is lit, signifying Holika Dahan. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil. People gather around the fire to sing and dance.

Playing with colours

In North and Western India, Holi frolic and celebrations begin the morning after the Holika bonfire. There is no tradition of holding puja (prayer), and the day is for partying and pure enjoyment. Children and young people form groups armed with dry colours, coloured solution and water guns (pichkaris), water balloons filled with coloured water, and other creative means to colour their targets.

Regional names, rituals and celebrations

Holi (Hindi: होली, Marathi: होळी, Nepali: होली, Punjabi: ਹੋਲੀ, Kannada: ಹೋಳಿ, Telugu: హోళి) is also known as Phakuwa or Phagwah (Assamese: ফাকুৱা), Festival of Colours, or Dola jātra (Odia: ଦୋଳଯାତ୍ରା) in Odisha, and as Dol Jatra (Assamese: দ’ল যাত্ৰা) or Basanto utsav (“spring festival”) in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. The customs and celebrations vary between regions of India.

The Legend of Holika and Prahlad – होली पर भक्त प्रहलाद की कहानी

Holika Dahan Story

शास्त्रों के अनुसार होलिका दहन की परंपरा भक्त और भगवान के संबंध का अनोखा एहसास है। कथानक के अनुसार भारत में असुरराज हिरण्यकश्यप राज करता था। उनका पुत्र प्रहलाद भगवान विष्णु का अनन्य भक्त था, लेकिन हिरण्यकश्यप विष्णु द्रोही था।

हिरण्यकश्यप ने पृथ्वी पर घोषणा कर दी थी कि कोई देवताओं की पूजा नहीं करेगा। केवल उसी की पूजा होगी, लेकिन भक्त प्रहलाद ने पिता की आज्ञा पालन नहीं किया और भगवान की भक्ति लीन में रहा।
हिरण्यकश्यप ने पुत्र प्रहलाद की हत्या कराने की कई बार कोशिश की, लेकिन वह सफल नहीं हो पाया तो उसने योजना बनाई। इस योजना के तहत उसने बहन होलिका की सहायता ली। होलिका को वरदान मिला था, वह अग्नि से जलेगी नहीं।

योजना के तहत होलिका प्रहलाद को गोद में लेकर अग्नि में बैठ गई, लेकिन भगवान ने भक्त प्रहलाद की सहायता की। इस आग में होलिका तो जल गई और भक्त प्रहलाद सही सलामत आग से बाहर आ गए। तब से होलिका दहन की परंपरा है। होलिका में सभी द्वेष भाव और पापों को जलाने का संदेश दिया जाता है।

Holi Pooja Process/ Method/ Vidhi

Holi Pooja Process or Holika Dahan Process

Holika Dahan preparations begin almost 40 days before the festival. People start gathering woods on the important crossroads of the city. Holi Pooja or Holika takes place on an auspicious time in the evening a day before the Holi festival. Given below are the steps and rituals for the Holi Pooja:

Holi Pooja can be performed at any place.
A log of wood is kept at a prominent public place on the Vasant Panchami day.
People extend the log centre with twigs, dried leaves, branches of trees and other combustible material.
On the day of Holika Dahan, an effigy of Holika and Prahlad is placed on the huge heap of woods.
Effigy of Holika is made of combustible material while Prahlad’s effigy is made of non-combustible material.
On the eve of Holi, the heap is set alight and the people chant Rakshoghna Mantras of the Rig Veda to cast away the evil spirits.
Left over ashes are collected by people next morning. These ashes are considered holy and are smeared on the limbs of the body as Holi Prasad.
Smearing of body limbs is an act of purification.

Holi Pooja is performed in a different manner in some communities. Marwari women offer Holi puja in the afternoon and evening i.e. before setting fire to ‘Holika’. It is called ‘Thandi Holi’. The whole puja process is considered very auspicious for the married women. It ensures well-being and healthy life of their husband.

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