Residents of UP are faced with a peculiar question on the eve of Holi — when do they get a holiday?
While the Central government has announced Holi on March 24, the State calendar has marked March 23 as a holiday. This has left officegoers confused.
Hindu calendars have added to this. When City Spidey spoke to HN Dubey, head priest at Sanatan Dharam Mandir in Sector 19, Noida, he said, “According to the Kashi Vishwanath Panchang, Holika Dahan should be on March 23, after 2.30 pm. However, according to the Diwakar Panchang, it should take place on March 23 night. Celebrations will depend on which panchang an individual follows.” A panchang is a kind of Hindu almanac.
Radharaman Shukla, head priest of the Sector 20 Hanuman Mandir, says, “Holika Dahan is taking place on March 23, so the festival of Holi and the celebrations with colour should be on March 24, the next day.”
However, Acharya Vijay Verma of URJA, an astro-energy centre in Lucknow, insists both Holika Dahan and Holi should be celebrated on March 23. “This type of confusion is not new. This year, we are observing Purnima from 2.29 pm on March 22, to 4.07 pm on March 23. As such, Holika Dahan will be on March 23, after 3.18 am. However, according to Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra, a certain planetary alignment this year, the colour festivity should be on the same day, March 23.”
So whose advice will you follow?
(With inputs from Ramesh Kumar)
