Kharghar’s streets glowed warm in the late evening of 2 March as societies across the node gathered to mark Holika Dahan, the traditional bonfire ritual symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
From standalone buildings to larger residential complexes, families stepped out after dusk, assembling outside society gates and in designated open areas where the holika had been prepared earlier in the day. Elders led prayers, offerings were made in accordance with individual customs, and children hovered around the flames with unmistakable excitement — for them, every festival is as much spectacle as it is tradition.
Bonfires flickered across sectors, devotional songs were sung as per family traditions, and neighbours exchanged greetings in the glow of the fire.
For many residents who have made Kharghar home over the last two decades, Holika Dahan remains one of those festivals that still carries a distinctly neighbourhood feel. Unlike larger public events, this celebration unfolds at the micro level — society by society, lane by lane — reinforcing the quiet social fabric of the node.
Children, predictably, treated the evening as a prelude to the real excitement ahead. With coloured powders already stocked at home and water balloons quietly waiting in buckets, the anticipation of the next phase of festivities was palpable.
Dhulivandan to Be Celebrated on 4 March
This year, however, the festive calendar carries a slight adjustment.
A lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) is scheduled for 3 March, the day following Holika Dahan. In many Hindu households, the sutak period associated with an eclipse is considered ritually sensitive, and celebratory activities are traditionally avoided during that time.
As a result, the main day of colour play — known in Maharashtra as Dhulivandan — will be observed on 4 March instead of the immediate next day.
The adjustment has not dampened spirits. If anything, it has stretched the festive rhythm over three days: bonfires on the 2nd, eclipse observance on the 3rd, and colours on the 4th.
For Kharghar, a node accustomed to blending tradition with modern living, the rhythm feels familiar. Ritual first. Reflection next. Celebration after.
And come the 4th, the same streets that glowed amber in the late evening are expected to turn shades of pink, green and purple — with children leading the charge, as always.
