Holi 2026 in Canada: Mon, Mar 2 — Puja Time by City

Related days (Toronto)

Other cities may differ by a day; open the festival's own page for city-wise dates.

How the Holi date is decided

Phalguna Purnima prevailing in Pradosh (after local sunset), avoiding Bhadra when Bhadra is on earth (Moon in Cancer, Leo, Aquarius or Pisces); if Bhadra runs past midnight, in Bhadra Punchha. If on the second day Purnima lasts 3½ praharas after sunrise and Pratipada is longer than Purnima, Holika Dahan moves to the second evening.

Significance

The rule of Holika Dahan: in Pradosh Kaal, in the Purnima tithi and at a **Bhadra-free** time — lighting the fire during Bhadra (Vishti karana) is forbidden; if Bhadra is present, after it (or in the Bhadra tail). This is why the muhurat differs every year — the Pradosh time is given above; see the Bhadra time on your city's panchang page.

Holashtak: the eight days before Holi (Phalguna Shukla Ashtami to Purnima) — no auspicious works, no weddings or griha pravesh; after Holi the muhurats reopen until Chaitra Navratri.

The new crop: roasting green ears of wheat, barley and chana in the bonfire (hola) and eating and bringing them home as prasad — one root of the name 'Holi'; bringing home the bonfire's ash/fire to light the hearth is auspicious. Evil (Holika) burnt, devotion (Prahlad) survived — that is the spirit.

Puja vidhi (brief)

1. Morning of Holika Dahan: make badkulle/gulri (small holed cakes of cow dung), dry them and string them into garlands — 4-5 garlands (in the name of the ancestors, Hanuman, Sheetla, the family); go to the neighbourhood Holi (a pile of wood and dung cakes with the Holika-Prahlad pole in the centre) or make a small Holi in your own courtyard.
2. The Holi puja in the day/before evening: roli, akshat and flowers on the pole/pile, circle it winding raw thread (mauli) 3 or 7 times, offer a lota of water, the badkulle garlands, green ears of wheat and barley, coconut, gujiya and sweets, gulal; 'Om Holikayai Namah', remembrance of Prahlad and Narasimha — 'Asrikpabhayasantrastaih krita tvam Holi balishaih…'.
3. The bonfire (Pradosh Kaal, Bhadra-free — Pradosh time above; Bhadra on the panchang page): the neighbourhood elders/priest light it; 3/5/7 rounds with the family, a stream of water, badkulle, ears of grain and coconut into the fire; roast ears of wheat, barley and chana (hola) in the fire and share.
4. On returning bring a little of the bonfire's fire/ash home — auspicious for a new hearth/lamp; a tilak of the ash (protection from the evil eye); Holi songs and Phaag at night, thandai.
5. Dhulandi (next day): in the morning a tilak of gulal for the elders and touching their feet, then colours; gujiya, kanji, dahi-bade; gulal for Thakur ji/Banke Bihari; after noon wash off the colours, new clothes, meeting and greeting in the evening (Holi Milan).
6. Women: the morning after the bonfire sprinkle its ash at the door (purification), a cool bhog for Sheetla Mata (in many regions Sheetla Ashtami/Basoda follows Holi); in Braj the Lathmar and flower Holis fall in the week before.
7. The badkulle garland and charity in the ancestors' name: grain and cloth donation on Holika Dahan, the first share of the new crop to the gods, the ancestors and the cow.
8. Chaitra begins the next day — in places Rang Panchami 5 days after Holi (Maharashtra-MP) and Sheetla Ashtami 8 days after.

Frequently asked questions

Is Holi 2026 on the same day in Canada and India?

No. India: Tuesday, March 3, 2026; Toronto (Canada): Monday, March 2, 2026. The tithi is judged at the local deciding moment, which falls on a different calendar day here.

What is the puja time for Holi 2026 in Toronto?

Holika Dahan Muhurat (Pradosh, after Bhadra ends): 6:59 PM to 8:41 PM (EST). Other cities are in the table above.

Which time zone are these timings in?

Each row is in that city's own local time with daylight saving applied (Eastern Time (EST/EDT) for Toronto).

What is Holashtak?

The eight days before Holi (Phalguna Shukla Ashtami to Purnima) — auspicious works like weddings, griha pravesh and mundan are not done in them; they resume after Holi.

What are badkulle/gulri?

Small dried cakes of cow dung with a hole, strung on thread into garlands — in the name of the ancestors, Hanuman ji, Sheetla Mata, the household — and offered in the Holika fire; a custom of the women of North India.

What is Rang Panchami?

The fifth day after Holi (Chaitra Krishna Panchami) is the main colour day in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh — the 'Gair' of Indore-Ujjain, the Rangpanchami of Mumbai-Pune; in Braj the Phaag runs till this day.

What is Sheetla Ashtami/Basoda after Holi?

Chaitra Krishna Ashtami (or Saptami), 7-8 days after Holi — offering cool food cooked a day earlier to Sheetla Mata and not lighting the hearth that day; a vrat for protecting children from smallpox (a separate page).

Daily panchang in Canada

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