Holashtak 2023: Holashtak is considered an auspicious day in Hinduism. In Hinduism, Holashtak falls in the month of Falgun. The Gregorian calendar includes the months of February and March. Holashtak is a combination of the words Holi and Ashtak, which means an eight-day festival. Holashtak refers to the eight days preceding the Holi festival. It can be said that the first word about the arrival of the Holi festival comes from Holashtak. The preparations for Holika Dahan begin with the Holi festival in Holashtak.
Important information
- Holashtak Start Date: Monday, February 27, 2023
- Holashtak End Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Importance of Holashtak
On Holashtak days, no auspicious work is done. The first eight days of Holashtak are considered unlucky. As a result, no auspicious work is done during this time, such as marriage, engagement, home entry, purchase of a new house, purchase of a vehicle, land worship, start of new business, and so on.
Story Related to Holashtak
Holashtak does no auspicious work. There is a well-known legend about why auspicious works are not performed during the days of Holashtak –
Kamadeva’s story
According to legend, Kamadeva broke Lord Shiva’s penance at the request of Lord Indra, and in retaliation, Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva, the god of love, with his third eye on the Falgun Ashtami date. Rati, Kamadeva’s wife, worshipped Shiva for eight days and prayed to Lord Shiva to resurrect her husband, which Lord Shiva accepted. Because of this custom, these eight days are forbidden for auspicious work.
Bhakta Prahlad’s Story
According to legend, King Hiranyakashipu tortured his son Prahlad for eight days in order to turn him away from his devotion to Lord Vishnu. On the eighth day, Holika, Hiranyakashipu’s sister, received a boon that she would not be burned by fire. But when Holika sat in the fire with the devotee Prahlad on her lap, she was burned. Prahlad, a devotee, was saved from the fire by the grace of Lord Vishnu. As a result, no auspicious work is carried out during these eight days.