Holi 2027 in India: Where to Celebrate, and How to Protect Your Phone From the Colours
Holi, the festival of colours, celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Streets fill with music, water and clouds of coloured powder, and everyone, stranger or friend, is fair game.
Holi 2027 falls on Monday 22 March, with Holika Dahan, the bonfire night, on the evening of 21 March. Some regional calendars give 23 March as the main day, so confirm locally.
Where to celebrate
Mathura and Vrindavan: Krishna's birthplace and childhood home, where Holi is celebrated for more than a week. Temple celebrations in Vrindavan, like the flower Holi, are unforgettable. Expect very large, intense crowds.
Barsana: home of the famous Lathmar Holi, held in the days before the main festival, where women playfully "fight off" men from neighbouring Nandgaon with sticks.
Jaipur: Holi in the Pink City is more relaxed, with hotel and rooftop celebrations that are a good first experience for many travellers.
Varanasi: on the ghats of the Ganges, Holi is wild, musical and spiritual.
Pushkar: a backpacker favourite with big street celebrations.
Holi is also celebrated across Nepal, a day earlier in Kathmandu than in the Terai region. Nepal eSIM
Staying safe
- Go with a group, and stay with it. Crowds get rowdy, especially in the afternoon.
- Women travellers may prefer hotel or organised celebrations, which are friendly and controlled.
- Wear old clothes you can throw away, and oil your hair and skin before you go out, so the colour washes off more easily.
- Protect your eyes: sunglasses help.
- Celebrations usually wind down by the early afternoon.
Protecting your phone
Coloured powder is fine, dry dust that gets into ports, speakers and camera lenses, and water balloons and water guns make it worse.
- Use a waterproof phone pouch or a sealed zip bag. You can still use the touchscreen through it.
- Fit a screen protector and a case before the day.
- Keep it in a front zipped pocket, and take it out only when you need it.
- Clean the ports gently with a dry brush afterwards. Don't use water.
Staying connected in India
Your HOAM eSIM connects to Airtel and Vi (Vodafone Idea), two of India's largest networks. You'll rely on your phone for Uber and Ola, train bookings, Google Maps and keeping track of your group in the crowds.
Install your eSIM at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Your plan starts on first use in India, not on installation.
Planning Holi? See plan sizes and prices on the India eSIM page.
常见问题
When is Holi 2027?
Holi 2027 is on Monday 22 March, with Holika Dahan, the bonfire night, on the evening of 21 March. Some regional calendars place the main day on 23 March, and celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan start a week or more earlier.
How do I protect my phone at Holi?
Put it in a waterproof phone pouch or a sealed zip bag, fit a screen protector, and take it out only when you need it. Coloured powder and water get into ports and speakers.
Which networks does a HOAM eSIM use in India?
Your HOAM eSIM connects to Airtel and Vi (Vodafone Idea), two of India's largest networks, with coverage across the major cities and Holi destinations.
