Holi in Delhi

Date and timing in this city

In Delhi, Holi is observed over two connected days. The first is Phalguna Purnima, the full-moon night of the lunar month of Phalguna, when Holika Dahan is performed. The second is the following day, when colours are played. The observance belongs to Vishnu and Krishna, and it is kept across India, so the tithi is the same everywhere — but the clock time attached to it is read from each city's own sunrise and sunset.

For Delhi, in the Asia/Kolkata time zone, the brief gives the date of Holi as Tuesday 3 March 2026, and as Sunday 21 March 2027. These are the dates computed for Delhi's own sunrise. Holika Dahan falls on the Purnima night attached to that reckoning, with the colour day following.

Why the date can differ from India

A tithi is a segment of the Moon's movement measured from the Sun, not a fixed clock interval, so it begins and ends at moments that are the same in absolute time but fall at different local clock hours across the country. Panchangams therefore anchor the observance to local sunrise: the tithi prevailing at a city's sunrise decides which civil day carries the festival there. Because Delhi's sunrise differs from sunrise in other parts of India, a tithi that is still running at dawn in one place may have ended before dawn in another, and the observance can land on a different civil date. This is why a single all-India date is an approximation, and why a Delhi reader should follow the Delhi reckoning given above.

Traditions also differ on month naming. Some communities follow the purnimanta system, in which the month ends at the full moon; others follow the amanta system, in which it ends at the new moon. Smarta and Vaishnava households may place the emphasis differently between Holika Dahan and the colour day. These are genuine regional and sampradaya variations, and readers are best guided by the practice of their own family and lineage.

Where and how the community celebrates

Holi is observed pan-India, and Delhi is no exception. The night of Phalguna Purnima is marked by Holika Dahan, a bonfire lit in neighbourhoods and courtyards, gathering families and streets together. The next day is given to colours, with people meeting one another, sharing sweets, and visiting relatives and neighbours. Households often keep a small puja for Vishnu or Krishna alongside the community celebration. Since the brief does not name specific venues or organisers, readers should look to their own colony, temple or family tradition for local arrangements.

Practical tips

• Note both days: Holika Dahan on Purnima night, colours on the day that follows.
• Use the Delhi dates above for 2026 and 2027 rather than a general all-India listing.
• For personal muhurta, vrat or chart-based questions, consult a qualified jyotishi.
• Follow your own family and sampradaya custom where traditions differ.