2025
Friday, 14 March 2025
In 2025 the tithi runs from 10:36 am on 13 Mar to 12:24 pm on 14 Mar; it is running at sunrise (the usual rule, called udaya tithi) on Friday, 14 March 2025, so that is the day of Holi.
2026
Tuesday, 3 March 2026
In 2026 the tithi runs from 5:56 pm on 2 Mar to 5:07 pm on 3 Mar; it is running at sunrise (the usual rule, called udaya tithi) on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, so that is the day of Holi.
How the date is fixed
Holi falls on the full-moon day (Purnima) of the lunar month Phalguna. The date is the day on which that tithi is running at sunrise (the usual rule, called udaya tithi).
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 engine therefore lists Holi against Purnima and notes that the colours follow on the next civil day in most of North India. 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.