Dol Purnima, the full moon of Phalgun, is Bengal's Holi, and it comes a day before the north's. Images of Radha and Krishna are placed on a decorated swing, the dol, and smeared with abir; then people colour one another. At Santiniketan it is Basanta Utsav, the spring festival Rabindranath Tagore created, with processions of students in yellow singing his songs. It is also the birthday of Chaitanya.
The story
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born at Nabadwip on this full moon in 1486, during a lunar eclipse, while the town was chanting the name of Hari. The devotional movement he began, with its street singing of kirtan, shaped Bengali religion and literature; his followers keep the day as Gaura Purnima.
Tagore, wanting a festival of the season without ritual, began Basanta Utsav at his school in the 1920s. It opens with the song "Ore grihabasi", calling the householders to open their doors.
ওরে গৃহবাসী, খোল্ দ্বার খোল্, লাগল যে দোল
You who keep to your houses, open the door, open it: the swinging of spring has begun
Rabindranath Tagore
How it is kept
- The dolRadha and Krishna are swung and offered abir before anyone else is coloured.
- AbirDry coloured powder, pink above all, first put on the feet of elders.
- Nyara poraOn the eve a bonfire of dry leaves and bamboo is lit.
- Basanta UtsavAt Santiniketan, dance and song in the morning; colour only after the programme ends.
- SweetsMath, phutkorai and sandesh.
Why this date
Dol Purnima is the full-moon tithi of Phalgun, on the day it is present at sunrise. Holi with colours in North India is usually the day after.
Dol Purnima in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Monday | |
| 2028 | Saturday | |
| 2029 | Wednesday | |
| 2030 | Tuesday | |
| 2031 | Sunday |
More Bengali festivals
6 MarchMaha Shivaratriমহা শিবরাত্রি
15 AprilRam Navamiরাম নবমী
15 AprilPoila Boishakhপয়লা বৈশাখ
11 FebruarySaraswati Pujaসরস্বতী পূজা
24 November 2026Rash Purnimaরাস পূর্ণিমা
20 AprilHanuman Jayantiহনুমান জয়ন্তী
Where to see Dol Purnima
In West Bengal
- SantiniketanWest BengalBasanta Utsav at Visva-Bharati, the best-known celebration in Bengal.
- Mayapur and NabadwipWest BengalGaura Purnima at the birthplace of Chaitanya, with pilgrims from across the world.
- PuruliaWest BengalThe palash is in flower, and the spring festival is held with Chhau dancers under the red trees.
- Sovabazar Rajbari, KolkataWest BengalOne of the old aristocratic houses of north Kolkata, whose family deities are swung in the courtyard.
Across India
- PuriOdishaDola Jatra, where Chaitanya spent his last years.
- VrindavanUttar PradeshHoli in Krishna's country, revived as a pilgrimage by Chaitanya's followers.
- BarpetaAssamDoul Utsav at the Vaishnava satra, with its own Holi songs.