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

Related days (Port Louis)

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 Mauritius and India?

No. India: Tuesday, March 3, 2026; Port Louis (Mauritius): 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 Port Louis?

Holika Dahan Muhurat (in Bhadra Punchha — Bhadra prevails past midnight): 11:56 PM to 1:05 AM (MUT). Other cities are in the table above.

Which time zone are these timings in?

Each row is in that city's own local time (Mauritius Time (MUT) for Port Louis).

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 Mauritius

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