Festival companion · 21–22 March 2027

Holi

The festival of colours. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Holi

The demon king Hiranyakashipu hated Vishnu, but his young son Prahlada prayed to Vishnu every day. Angry, the king asked his sister Holika, who could not be burned, to sit in a fire holding the boy.

Prahlada kept chanting Vishnu's name. The fire burned Holika instead, and the child walked out unharmed. The bonfire on Holi eve remembers this victory of faith over pride.

The colours come from Krishna, who as a boy playfully coloured Radha's face, and from the joy of spring flowers.

How families celebrate

Holi welcomes spring. On the full-moon evening a bonfire is lit for Holika Dahan, remembering how the child Prahlada was protected by his faith. The next morning is pure play: dry colours, water and sweets with friends and neighbours.

Holika Dahan bonfire (21 Mar), natural colours from flowers and turmeric, gujiya and thandai, and visiting elders for blessings.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Short puja 15 minutes · freeFull puja 45 minutes · members

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Short puja

  1. Holika Dahan setup

    On the full-moon evening, with neighbours or at a temple, a small bonfire of wood and dried cow-dung cakes is built. At home you can use a small fire bowl or a lamp outdoors.

  2. Worship the fire

    Offer water, kumkum, turmeric, rice, flowers, a cotton thread wound around three or seven times, coconut and new grain.

    SayAsrikpa bhaya santrastaih krita tvam holi balishaih, atastvam pujayishyami bhute bhuti prada bhava

  3. Walk around the fire

    Walk around the fire three or seven times and pray that all bad habits burn away, as Holika did.

  4. Play with colours

    The next morning, start by putting a little colour on the deity and on the elders' feet, then play with natural colours.

  5. Visit elders

    In the evening, after a bath, visit elders and friends with gujiya and thandai.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

Full puja

The full puja follows the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara, with every mantra in Devanagari, Kannada or Telugu script. It takes about 45 minutes.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Members: open the full pujaShort of time? The short puja is complete on its own: flowers, a lamp and food offered with love are enough.

Print

Short puja guide to print

Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Across India

How Each Region Celebrates

The same festival has many faces. Find your region, and what to do at home.

North and West India

Holika Dahan

The evening before

  1. Light a bonfire after sunset and walk around it.
  2. Offer coconut, wheat ears and grains, and remember Prahlada.
South India (Karnataka)

Kamadahana

The evening before

  1. A bonfire remembers Shiva burning Kama, the god of desire.
  2. In many towns people play with colours the next day.
East India (Bengal, Odisha)

Dol Jatra

The full-moon day

  1. Krishna and Radha are placed on a decorated swing.
  2. Play with dry colours (abir) and sing.
West and Central India

Rang Panchami

Five days later

  1. A second day of colours in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Cook together

Thandai

More recipes →
North India · Holi

Thandai

Spiced festive milk

  • 15 min + soaking
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp almonds
  • 1 tbsp each melon seeds, poppy seeds and fennel
  • 8 black peppercorns, 6 cardamoms
  • 1 litre cold milk
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • A few saffron strands, rose petals

Method

  1. Soak the nuts, seeds and spices for 2 hours.
  2. Grind to a smooth paste with a little milk.
  3. Stir into cold milk with sugar and saffron, and strain.
  4. Chill and serve with rose petals.

A cooling drink for the first warm days of spring.

For children

Make natural colours

You need

  • Turmeric and gram flour (yellow)
  • Beetroot juice and corn flour (pink)
  • Dried spinach or henna powder (green)
  • A sieve and bowls

Steps

  1. Mix 1 part turmeric with 2 parts gram flour for yellow.
  2. Knead corn flour with beetroot juice, dry it in the sun and crumble for pink.
  3. Sieve each colour until fine.
  4. Play outdoors in old clothes, and keep colours away from eyes.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

Looking for something, or want to help? Ask us for a festival, ceremony or recipe from your region, or tell us how you would like to help.

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