Holi 2027 falls on Monday, March 22, in the United States and Tuesday, March 23, in India. Holika Dahan takes place on Sunday, March 21, in the U.S. and Monday, March 22, in India.
Holi 2027 is celebrated one day earlier in North America than in India, because the full moon falls at a different local time and the inauspicious Bhadra period covers India’s evening of March 21. In the U.S., it falls on Monday, March 22.
The Government of India’s 2027 gazetted holiday list sets Holi for Tuesday, March 23. Holi 2027 also falls in the same three days as two other religious observances: Palm Sunday on March 21 and Purim on March 23.
Table of Contents
When is Holi 2027?
Holi 2027 has two parts: Holika Dahan, the bonfire on the evening of the full moon, and Rangwali Holi, the festival of colors on the following day. The date of each depends on where you are.
The table compares the United States and India.
| Region | Holika Dahan | Rangwali Holi (colors) |
|---|---|---|
| United States (Houston) | Sunday, March 21, 2027 (7:33 p.m. to 9:55 p.m) | Monday, March 22, 2027 |
| India | Monday, March 22, 2027 | Tuesday, March 23, 2027 |
Holi is a gazetted (national) holiday for Indian central government offices on Tuesday, March 23, 2027, under the Department of Personnel and Training order dated Thursday, July 16, 2026. Holi is not a public holiday in the United States.
Why Holi 2027 falls on different days in the U.S. and India
Holika Dahan must take place on the full moon (Purnima) of Phalguna, after sunset and outside Bhadra, and in 2027 those conditions meet on different evenings in each country.
Bhadra (Vishti karana) occupies the first half of the Purnima tithi. Panchangs avoid lighting the Holika bonfire during Bhadra.
The table shows the timing.
| Event | UTC | India (IST) | Houston (CDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purnima tithi begins | Sunday, March 21, 12:51 | Sunday, March 21, 6:21 p.m. | Sunday, March 21, 7:51 a.m. |
| Bhadra ends (about) | Sunday, March 21, 23:47 | Monday, March 22, 5:17 a.m. | Sunday, March 21, 6:47 p.m. |
| Purnima tithi ends (full moon) | Monday, March 22, 10:43 | Monday, March 22, 4:13 p.m. | Monday, March 22, 5:43 a.m. |
In Houston, Bhadra ends before sunset on Sunday, March 21, so Holika Dahan takes place that evening and colors follow on Monday.
In India, Purnima begins at about sunset on March 21, and Bhadra covers the whole night, so Indian panchangs move Holika Dahan to Monday, March 22, and colors to Tuesday, March 23.
How to find the Holi 2027 date for your city
Holi dates and bonfire times depend on your local sunset and time zone.
Follow these steps:
- Open a panchang for your city. Drik Panchang and most temple calendars let you set a location.
- Check the Holika Dahan muhurat. It shows the evening window after sunset that falls outside Bhadra.
- Plan colors for the following day, unless your temple or community announces a weekend celebration instead.
What does Holi celebrate?
Holi celebrates the victory of good over evil in the story of Prahlad and Holika, and the arrival of spring at the end of the Hindu month of Phalguna.
According to the Puranic account, the demon king Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to carry his son Prahlad, a devotee of Vishnu, into a fire.
Holika burned, and Prahlad survived. The Holika Dahan bonfire re-enacts that story. The colors of Rangwali Holi recall the play of Krishna and Radha in the Braj region.
Holi is a moveable festival. Holika Dahan falls on Phalguna Purnima, the full moon of the month of Phalguna. Rangwali Holi falls on the following day, the first day (Pratipada) of the dark half of Chaitra.
How Holi is observed by region
Holi customs, names, and even the number of festival days vary by region. The table lists major regional forms.
| Region | Name or form | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Braj (Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana) | Braj Holi, Lathmar Holi | Celebrations last about a week before the main day; in Lathmar Holi, women of Barsana playfully strike men with sticks |
| West Bengal and Odisha | Dol Jatra, Dol Purnima | Kept on the full-moon day with processions of Krishna and Radha |
| Maharashtra | Shimga, Rang Panchami | Colors are often played five days after Holi, on Rang Panchami |
| Punjab (Sikh) | Hola Mohalla | A Sikh festival held the day after Holi at Anandpur Sahib, featuring martial displays |
| Nepal | Fagu Purnima | The hill regions typically celebrate on the full moon; the Terai region, the following day |
| United States | Temple and community Holi | Many temples and student groups hold color events on the nearest weekend: Saturday, March 20, or Sunday, March 21, 2027 |
What Holi 2027 is not
Holi is often confused with related observances. The table separates them.
| Observance | What it is | 2027 relationship to Holi |
|---|---|---|
| Holika Dahan | The bonfire on the evening of Phalguna Purnima | The evening before colors: March 21 (U.S.) or March 22 (India) |
| Rangwali Holi (Dhulandi) | The day of colors | The main public holiday: March 22 (U.S.) or March 23 (India) |
| Rang Panchami | Colors on the fifth day after Holi, mainly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh | Later in the same week |
| Hola Mohalla | A Sikh festival, not a Hindu one | Begins the day after Holi |
| Color runs | Commercial events using Holi powders | Not religious and not tied to the Hindu calendar |
Holi dates 2026 to 2031
Holi follows the Phalguna full moon, which moves between late February and late March. The table gives the verified 2026 and 2027 dates and the full-moon date for later years.
Holika Dahan usually falls on or near the full moon, with colors on the following day, and the exact date depends on the panchang and location.
| Year | Phalguna full moon (UTC) | Holi in India | Holi in the U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, March 3, 2026 | Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | Wednesday, March 4, 2026 |
| 2027 | Monday, March 22, 2027 | Tuesday, March 23, 2027 | Monday, March 22, 2027 |
| 2028 | Saturday, March 11, 2028 | Check panchang | Check panchang |
| 2029 | Wednesday, February 28, 2029 | Check panchang | Check panchang |
| 2030 | Tuesday, March 19, 2030 | Check panchang | Check panchang |
| 2031 | Sunday, March 9, 2031 | Check panchang | Check panchang |
Frequently asked questions
Is Holi 2027 on March 22 or March 23?
Holi 2027 is Monday, March 22, in the United States and Tuesday, March 23, in India. The difference comes from the time of the full moon and the Bhadra period in each time zone. India’s central government holiday list sets Holi on March 23, 2027.
When is Holika Dahan 2027?
Holika Dahan 2027 is on the evening of Sunday, March 21, in the United States and Monday, March 22, in India. Drik Panchang gives a Houston muhurat of 7:33 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. on March 21.
Is Holi a public holiday in the United States?
No. Holi is not a U.S. federal or state holiday. Many Hindu temples and university groups hold Holi celebrations, often on the nearest weekend.
