Holāṣṭaka 2023

Holāṣṭaka begins on Phālguna Śukla Aṣṭamī (the eighth day of Phālguna's bright half) and ends on Phālguna Pūrṇimā (the full moon, i.e., Holikā Dahana night). These eight days (aṣṭamī through pūrṇimā) are considered inauspicious for new ventures and celebrations in North Indian tradition.

The mythology behind Holāṣṭaka is rooted in the story of Prahlāda and Hiraṇyakaśipu. The demon king Hiraṇyakaśipu, enraged that his son Prahlāda refused to worship him and instead remained devoted to Viṣṇu, devised eight consecutive tortures over eight days to kill Prahlāda. Each day a different planetary force was invoked against the boy: the Moon (for mental suffering), Sun (burning), Saturn (crushing), Venus (drowning), Jupiter (deception), Mars (fire), Mercury (poison), and Rāhu (dark fears). Yet Prahlāda survived each ordeal through Viṣṇu's grace. These eight days of demonic cruelty are commemorated as Holāṣṭaka.

On the final day (Pūrṇimā), Hiraṇyakaśipu's sister Holikā (immune to fire by a divine boon) entered a pyre holding Prahlāda. But the boon required her to not misuse it; she burned while Prahlāda emerged unharmed. The burning of Holikā that night is Holikā Dahana, and the next morning is Holī.

During Holāṣṭaka, families in UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab avoid marriages, buying property, starting businesses, or taking important vows. Pilgrims visiting Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, however, find that the Vraja region celebrates all eight days with great joy: as this is Kṛṣṇa's own Holī season.