2002
Friday, 29 March 2002
In 2002 the tithi runs from 3:50 am on 28 Mar to 11:54 pm on 28 Mar; it is running at pradosh, the twilight just after sunset on Thursday, 28 March 2002, so that is the reference day, and Holi is on Friday, 29 March 2002.
2003
Tuesday, 18 March 2003
In 2003 the tithi runs from 7:19 pm on 17 Mar to 4:04 pm on 18 Mar, and it never reaches pradosh, the twilight just after sunset, so the day on which it begins is taken: Monday, 17 March 2003. The reference day is Monday, 17 March 2003, so Holi is on Tuesday, 18 March 2003.
Phalguna Purnima, Thursday, 28 March 2002. Purnima is running at sunrise: the day for the Purnima vrat and for bathing and gifts (snana-dana). Holi (29 Mar) is the same full moon, kept at dusk.
How the date is fixed
The reference day falls on the full-moon day (Purnima) of the lunar month Phalguna. The date is the day on which that tithi is running at pradosh, the twilight just after sunset. Bhadra (Vishti karana) is avoided. When Bhadra covers the whole evening and lasts past the middle of the night, almanacs differ on the day; this page still shows the day whose pradosh holds the tithi†. Holi itself is kept 1 day after that day.
† Practice varies between schools; our faculty is reviewing these rules.
About
Holi is anchored to Phalguna Purnima, the full moon that ends the lunar year in amanta reckoning. The bonfire is lit on the Purnima evening and the play of colours, called Dhulandi or Rangwali Holi, takes place the next morning, which in amanta terms is already Chaitra Krishna Pratipada. The site therefore lists Holi on the day after Holika Dahan, whatever the tithi at sunrise, so the two always stay one day apart. In Braj the celebrations begin a week earlier with Lathmar Holi, and in Bengal the same day is Dol Purnima.
How it is observed
Colours and water are played with in the morning, followed by visits to family and sweets such as gujiya.