Patna: Residents in Patna will observe Holika Dahan this year under what astrologers describe as a rare and auspicious celestial alignment. The ritual falls on Phalguna Shukla Purnima and coincides with Magha Nakshatra and Sukarma Yoga, a combination considered favourable in the Hindu calendar.
According to astrologer Rakesh Jha, the most auspicious time for lighting the ceremonial fire will be between 12:50 am and 2:02 am on Monday night, during the Purnima tithi and within the Bhadra period. As the full moon phase spans two days, the festival of colours, Holi, will be celebrated across the city on March 4.
Before the bonfire is lit, families will gather to perform prayers and offer symbolic items to the flames. Devotees are encouraged to surrender inner negativity, anger and sorrow to the fire, seeking spiritual renewal. Ritual offerings typically include rice grains (akshat), Gangajal, vermilion, sandalwood paste, turmeric, sacred thread and sweets. Flour, jaggery, sesame seeds, camphor, barley, mango wood and cow-dung cakes are added to the fire, followed by seven circumambulations. Roasted gram or wheat ears are later shared as prasad.
The ash from the bonfire, known as bhasma, holds particular religious significance. Many apply it to their foreheads on Holi morning, believing it brings prosperity, protects against misfortune and ensures a good harvest. The ritual is also associated with invoking the blessings of Goddess Annapurna for abundance at home.
Each offering made to the fire carries symbolic meaning. Cow-dung cakes are believed to dispel negative energy, cloves to reduce adverse planetary effects and jaggery to symbolise freedom from debt. Turmeric is associated with marital harmony, black sesame with protection from enemies and camphor with mental peace. Mango wood, meanwhile, is thought to signify the destruction of negativity.
Holika Dahan marks the mythological victory of good over evil, rooted in the story of Prahlad and his unwavering devotion. The burning pyre represents the destruction of arrogance and injustice, reinforcing the broader message of spiritual cleansing and renewal.
Across Patna and surrounding areas, communities observe the festival in their own ways. The Marwari community follows Rajasthani customs, while Marathi families gather wood and cow-dung cakes from neighbourhood homes to build the pyre, offering coconut and the traditional sweet puran poli as part of the ceremony. Despite variations in practice, the festival remains a shared celebration of faith and unity.
