Why Varanasi Will Celebrate Holi a Day Before Entire India

The festival of Holi will be celebrated in Varanasi on March 7, and in the rest of India on March 8. There is a lot of confusion this time regarding the Holi date. It is mentioned in different calendars that Holi will be celebrated on March 7 and 8. According to the scholars of Kashi, the festival of Holi in Varanasi will be celebrated on March 7 and in other places, it will be celebrated on March 8. However, everywhere, Holika Dahan will take place between 12.30 to 1.30 midnight, on March 6 and 7.

Professor of the Astrology Department, BHU and associated scholar of Kashi Vidvat Parishad, Dr Vinay Pandey said that Phalgun Shukla Purnima will start at 4.18 pm on March 6, which will end at 5.30 pm on March 7. After this, Chaitra Krishna Pratipada will start, but according to the Shastriya Vidhan, the Pratipada Tithi is in Udaya Tithi, then Chaitra Pratipada will be on March 8, so Holi will be celebrated on March 8 all across the country, except Kashi.

Adding to this, Professor Vinay Pandey said that Holika Dahan will be done on March 6 in Pradosh Kaal Vyapini Purnima. He further said that in Varanasi, there is a different tradition for celebrating Holi. Holika Dahan takes place in Kashi at night and Holi is celebrated the next day whether it is Pratipada or Purnima. This is a tradition that is different from shastra. On the next day of Holika Dahan, the residents of Kashi take out the Chausaththi Devi Yogini yatra and play with abir and gulal. Chausaththi Devi resides only in Varanasi and this tradition is also followed by the people of Kashi only. So, this year Holi will be celebrated on March 7 in Kashi, and other places, it will be celebrated on March 8.

Scholar Pandit Sanjay Upadhyay also informed that it is a tradition in Kashi that Holi is celebrated on the next day of Holika Dahan and it is directly related to the tradition of Chausaththi Yatra, hence after Holika Dahan at midnight of March 6 and 7, the next morning of March 7 will witness Holi celebrations in Varanasi.

Swami Kanhaiya Maharaj said that according to the Rishikesh Panchang, Vishwa Panchang, Ganesh Apa Panchang, Chintaharan Panchang and Gyanmandal Panchang published from Kashi, as well as according to Martand Panchang, Kailash Panchang and Banshidhar Jyotish Panchang, Holika Dahan will be held on March 6.

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