Holashtak: The Inauspicious Days Before Holi!

Knock knock! Holashtak is approaching, so here’s a reminder to start preparing for Holi. Holasthak is an 8-day period that occurs before Holi every year. This period is considered to be auspicious in many regions of India. However, the word Holashtak has been derived from two different words. “Hol means Holi”, the festival of colours and “Ashtak means Eight”. So, 

Holasthak Date and Timing 

Holasthak starts on: 17th March 2024 

Holasthak Ends on: 24th March 2024 

Ashtami Tithi Start: March 16 from 09:39 PM 

Ashtami Tithi End: March 17 at 09:53 PM 

What is Holashtak? 

Holashtak is a word used to refer to the long 8-day period before Holi. It starts with the Ashtami tithi (eighth day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Phalguna month, which marks the beginning of Holashtak and continues until Purnima or at least until Holika Dahan.

Moreover, Holashtak is predominant in North Indian districts like Punjab, Bihar, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. As the day is going to knock on our entryways, here we have the shubh tithi and other important details about the inauspicious days. Read along with us to know what to be cautious about during this period. 

The mythological story behind Holashtak

Here’s an ancient Hindu mythology story behind Holasthak that states the importance of this long eight days before the celebration of Holi. Devi Parvati has long wished to marry Lord Shiva, but as Lord Shiva was concentrated in his meditation, he ignored Goddess Parvati’s feelings. 

Later, Goddess Parvati sought help from Kama Dev (the god of human love and passion) and asked him to divert Lord Shiva’s mind from meditation. To fulfil her wish, Lord Kama aimed the flower arrow at Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva got distracted, opened his eyes in rage, and burned Kama Dev to ashes with his third eye on the day of Phalguna Ashtami. However, as Kama Dev’s wife Rati was a true devotee of Lord Shiva, he showed sympathy towards her and restored Kama Dev from ashes. 

Significance of Holashtak 

The day of Holashtak is said to be inauspicious and thus suggests people avoid doing wrong means during this period. It is also believed that during this period the negative energies the natives. So, one must be cautious during this period and try to follow effective tips to avoid those energies. Moreover, during the period of Holashtak, there are significant transitions observed in various planets such as the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, and more.

Things to do and avoid during Holashtak 

Take notes of the Dos and Don’ts during the alarming phase of 8 days of Holashtak. Here’s what you should do and avoid during this period. 

Dos:

• During this time, giving donations is believed to be lucky. Donate essentials like clothes, food, money, etc to the needy.
• Decorate branches of trees with colourful threads and bury them underground as threads are believed to absorb negative energies and protect us. 
• Cleaning your house with Gangajal removes negative energy.
• The time is excellent for meditation as it helps attain wishes and goals.
• You can chant the Katyayani Mantra to find a partner.
• If someone passes away, ‘Shanti Kriya’ is performed before the last rites.

Don’ts:

• Avoid auspicious ceremonies like engagement, marriage, mundan, Grihapravesh, etc, during this time. 
• Newly married women or Vidai ceremonies should be avoided during the Holashtak period.
• Planning to buy something new or starting a new project should also be restrained. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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