Holika Dahan 2024: Shubh Muhurat, Puja Vidhi, Dos and Don’ts To Keep In Mind

Holika Dahan is an important ritual in Hindu culture during Holi and is celebrated on the full moon night of Falgun month and is also called Choti Holi.

Holika Dahan 2024

Source : Getty

Holi is one of the major festivals of India. According to the Hindu calendar, Holika Dahan is celebrated a day before Holi, which is a full moon day. It is an important ritual in Hindu culture during Holi and is celebrated on the full moon night of Falgun month and is also called Choti Holi. Holika Dahan mainly commemorates the killing of the demoness 'Holika' by Lord Vishnu.

Holika Dahan 2024: Shubh Muhurat

• Purnima Tithi Starts : 9:57 AM on 24 March 2024
• Purnima Tithi Ends : 12:29 AM on 25 March 2024
• Holika Dahan Puja Muhurat:  11:13 PM to 12:32 PM

Holika Dahan 2024: Puja Vidhi 

Here are the few tips for Holika Dahan 2024 puja: 

• Before Holika Dahan puja, take a bath. 
• Offer prayers to Vishnu ji’s Narsingh Avatar and Devi Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. 
• Offer coconut, garlands, and Akshat to gods. 
• Offer 7 types of dishes in puja. 
• Clean the area where you make a bonfire with a mixture of cow dung and water. 
• Apply roli, sindoor and moli on Holika. 
• Offer all the puja materials mentioned below. 
• Light the bonfire in auspicious time then. 

Things To Do On Holika Dahan 2024

Below mentioned are the few things that you must pay attention to as suggested by Gurudev Shrie Kashyap, Chairman and Founder of All India Institute of Occult Science:

• Keep the surroundings of the Holika Dahan bonfire clean. 
• Be generous and helpful towards others. 
• Making donations on this day is very beneficial. 
• Use eco-friendly materials to make the bonfire for Holika Dahan. 

Things To Avoid On Holika Dahan 2024

Now, things you should avoid doing on this Holika Dahan as suggested by him are:

• Do not leave your hair open. 
• Do not touch or go near any strange item lying on the streets. 
• Do not lend money to others on this day. 
• Do not hurt others with your rude behavior.

Puja Samagri For Holika Dahan 2024

Here is a list of important materials used for Holika Dahan:

• Akshat 
• Chandan paste 
• Coconut 
• Cow dung cakes 
• Dry wood 
• Roli 
• Flowers
• Wheat grains
• Jaggery 

Tale Of Holika Dahan 

There’s a very famous tale about Holika Dahan. Here’s how it goes. 

Once, King Hiranyakashipu, a powerful but evil ruler, wanted to be worshiped as God. But his son Prahlad denied as he was a great devotee of Vishnu ji. So, he couldn't bear his son Prahlad's devotion to Lord Vishnu. He called his sister, Holika. She was a demon who was blessed by a boon to be immune to fire. So, he tricked Prahlad into entering a fire with his aunt Holika, who possessed an ability to not get burnt in fire. Ironically, Holika started to feel the heat of fire, and eventually fire started burning her. Miraculously, Prahlad remained unharmed as he kept praying to Vishnu ji. Thus, Holika Dahan, celebrated the night before Holi, signifies the triumph of good over evil and Prahlad's unshakable faith.

Significance Of Holika Dahan 2024

Holika Dahan is celebrated on the evening before Holi. On this day, people get together around a bonfire, do puja and offer prayers. This day is considered very special due to its value rooted in religious values of India. This festival is celebrated as a 'victory of good over evil'.  People perform various rituals on this day. However, they do puja in an auspicious time which is considered very lucky.