Celebrating Holi 2025: With Colours, Traditions, and Joy

Holi is the most popular and renowned festival all around the World. Holi is celebrated as the Festival of Love, Colours, and Spring. This day also symbolizes the triumph of Good over Evil as it celebrates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. This festival is also known as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dol Jatra, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo, Phagwah, or Jajiri. This festival starts on the evening of Purnima ( full moon day) of the Hindu month of Phalguna and lasts for a day and night. In this blog, we will learn about the Holi festivals, dates, times, puja vidhi, rituals, and celebrations.

Dol Purnima 2025 Date and Time

Date: 14 March, 2025

Significance of Dol Purnima

Holi or Dol Purnima is significant worldwide because of its vibrant culture and rituals. This special day represents the divine love of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha. It also marks the birth anniversary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ( a combined manifestation of Radha and Krishna. Devotees celebrated this day with immense devotion and enthusiasm. It is believed that on this day Lord Krishna plays Holi with Goddess Radha and Gopis, which represent love, unity, and spring arrival. Dol Purnima is more than just a festival of colors, it is a spirit of devotion, unity, love, harmony, and a celebration of a new beginning.

Dol Purnima Rituals and Celebration

Many rituals and traditions are performed during this divine festival. Here is the list of the Rituals and Traditions:
1. Celebration: Devotees place the idol of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha on the decorated swings and sing bhajans and kirtans.
2. Offering and Puja: On this sacred day, devotees perform special prayers and offer various sweets to Radha and Krishna. They also chant the name of Radha Krishna. 3. Playing with color: On this day, people play with colors (abir) to each other which represents unity and love. Devotees also sing and dance in praise of the deities. On this day, the streets in India are filled with people playing with colors and water.
4. Feasting: Food plays an important role in this festival as people prepare gujiya, malpua, sandesh, rasgulla, and ladoos. These sweets are distributed among friends and family. 

 The story associated with Dol Purnima

1. The story of Radha Krishna
According to Hindu Scriptures, Lord Krishna once asked his mother, Yashoda, why Radha was so fair and I am dark. Yashoda Mata suggested Krishna to apply colors on Radha’s face to check if the colors change her complexion. That’s how the Tradition of Playing colors (abir) was started. This playful act is considered the start of Dol Purnima ( Holi), representing love and unity. 

2. The Birth of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Dol Purnima, also known as Gaura Purnima, is the birthday of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who was born in 1486 AD in Nabadwip, West Bengal, India. He popularized Hare Krishna chanting and promoted equality and unity among devotees. On this day, devotees of Gaudiya Vaishnavism perform special kirtans and prayers in his respect and honor.

3. The story Narasimha Avatar
The demon king Hiranyakashipu obtained a boon from Lord Brahma (the creator) after performing penance. This boon makes him invincible, he cannot be killed by man or beast, he cannot die from inside and outside, he cannot be killed by any weapons, he cannot die in day and night, and he cannot die on land, air, or water. Hiranyakashipu wanted to kill his son Praladh who is a devotee of Lord Vishnu and this made him furious. He tried multiple times to kill Praladh, but Lord Vishnu protected him.
One day, Hiranyakashipu challenged his son and struck a pillar, demanding Vishnu to appear. From that pillar, Lord Narasimha ( an avatar of Lord Vishnu)
appeared, who was half-man and half-lion. Narasimha defeated and killed Hiranyakashipu in a unique way that bypassed the boon - He placed him on his lap (not land, water, or air), He appeared at twilight (neither day nor night), He used his claws (not any weapon), He was half-man, half-lion (neither man nor beast), He killed him at the threshold of the palace (neither inside nor outside). Narasimha proved that good always wins over evil.

Dol Purnima Puja Vidhi

1. Preparation:
Devotees should wake up early in the morning and take a holy bath.
Wear clean and traditional attire (preferably yellow or white).
Devotees must clean the puja area and decorate it with flowers and rangolis.

2. Sankalp (Take a sacred vow)
Devotees should sit in front of the Deity and light a ghee diya.
Devotees should take a vow to perform the puja with devotion and meditate on Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha.
Mantra for Sankalp: "Om Asya Shri Krishna Prasada Siddhartham Sankalpam Karishye"

3. Worship:
Sprinkle Ganga Jal on the idols to purify them.
Offer sandalwood paste (Chandan) and flowers (lotus, marigold, or tulsi leaves).
Chant the Krishna Moola Mantra to invite blessings
Krishna Moola Mantra: "Om Kleem Krishnaya Namah"
Devotees should place the idol of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha on the decorated swings and sing bhajans and kirtans. 

4. Prasad:
Kheer, Malpua, Sandesh & Rasgulla, and Panta Bhat – Fermented rice (offered in some traditions).

5. Playing with color:
Devotees should apply abir (colored powder) on Krishna’s idol as a mark of devotion.

6. Perform Arti
Perform Arti with a ghee lamp, camphor, and flowers, and also chant the mantra.
Arti Mantra: Jai Radha Madhava, Jai Kunj Bihari
Gopi Jana Vallabha, Girivardhari.