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Lyrics with meaning
The complete Holika Chalisa – two opening dohas, forty chaupais, and a closing doha. A short English meaning sits below every verse. Toggle the script to read in Devanagari, romanized, or both side-by-side.
याद करें प्रहलाद को, भले भलाई प्रीत। तजें बुराई मानवी, यही होलिका रीत ।।
yada karem prahalada ko, bhale bhalai prita| tajem burai manavi, yahi holika rita ||
Opening invocation – salutation to Maa Holika and the framing of the Chalisa-prayer.
मातु शारदे वंदन गाता। भाव गीत कविता में आता।।
matu sharade vamdana gata| bhava gita kavita mem ata||
Verse 1 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
भारत है अति देश विशाला। विविध धर्म संस्कृतियों वाला।।
bharata hai ati desha vishala| vividha dharma samskrritiyom vala||
Verse 2 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
नित मनते त्यौहार अनोखे। मेल मिलाप,रिवाजें चोखे।।
nita manate tyauhara anokhe| mela milapa,rivajem chokhe||
Verse 3 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
दीवाली अरु ईद मनाएँ। फोड़ पटाखे आयत गाएँ।।
divali aru ida manae.n| pho.da patakhe ayata gae.n||
Verse 4 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
रोजे रखें करे नवराते। जैनी पर्व सुगंध मनाते।।
roje rakhem kare navarate| jaini parva sugamdha manate||
Verse 5 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
मकर ताजिए लोह्ड़ी मनते। खीर सिवैंया घर घर बनते।।
makara tajie loh.di manate| khira sivaimya ghara ghara banate||
Verse 6 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
एक बने हम भले विविधता। भारत में है निजता समता।।
eka bane hama bhale vividhata| bharata mem hai nijata samata||
Verse 7 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
क्रिसमस से गुरु दिवस मनाते। गुरु गोविंद से नेह निभाते।।
krisamasa se guru divasa manate| guru govimda se neha nibhate||
Verse 8 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
भिन्न धर्म भल भिन्न सु भाषा। देश एकता मन अभिलाषा।।
bhinna dharma bhala bhinna su bhasha| desha ekata mana abhilasha||
Verse 9 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
मकर गये आये बासन्ती। प्राकृत धरा सुरंगी बनती।।
makara gaye aye basanti| prakrrita dhara suramgi banati||
Verse 10 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
विटप लता कलि पुष्प नवीना। उत्तम जीवन कलुष विहीना।।
vitapa lata kali pushpa navina| uttama jivana kalusha vihina||
Verse 11 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
झूमे फसल चले पछुवाई। प्राकृत नव तरुणाई पाई।।
jhume phasala chale pachuvai| prakrrita nava tarunai pai||
Verse 12 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
अल्हड़ नर नारी मन गावे। फागुन मानो होली आवे।।
alha.da nara nari mana gave| phaguna mano holi ave||
Verse 13 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
होली है त्यौहार अजूबा। लगे बाँधने सब मंसूबा।।
holi hai tyauhara ajuba| lage ba.ndhane saba mamsuba||
Verse 14 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
खेल कबड्डी रसिया भाते। होली पर पहले से गाते।।
khela kabaddi rasiya bhate| holi para pahale se gate||
Verse 15 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
पकती फसल कृषक मन हरषे। तन मन नेह नयन से बरसे।।
pakati phasala krrishaka mana harashe| tana mana neha nayana se barase||
Verse 16 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
प्रीत रीत की राग सुनाती। कोयल काली विरहा गाती।।
prita rita ki raga sunati| koyala kali viraha gati||
Verse 17 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
मौसम बनता प्रीत मिताई। फागुन होली गान बधाई।।
mausama banata prita mitai| phaguna holi gana badhai||
Verse 18 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
तरुवर भी नव वसन सजाए। मधुमक्खी भँवरे मँडराए।।
taruvara bhi nava vasana sajae| madhumakkhi bha.nvare ma.ndarae||
Verse 19 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
पुष्प गंध रस प्रीत निराली। रसिया पीते भर भर प्याली।।
pushpa gamdha rasa prita nirali| rasiya pite bhara bhara pyali||
Verse 20 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
बौराए जन मन अमराई। तब माने मन होली आई।।
baurae jana mana amarai| taba mane mana holi ai||
Verse 21 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
हिरणाकुश सुत थे प्रल्हादा। ईश निभाए रक्षण वादा।।
hiranakusha suta the pralhada| isha nibhae rakshana vada||
Verse 22 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
बहिन होलिका गोद बिठाकर। जली स्वयं ही अग्नि जलाकर।।
bahina holika goda bithakara| jali svayam hi agni jalakara||
Verse 23 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
बचे प्रल्हाद मनाई खुशियाँ। अब भी कहते गाते रसियाँ।।
bache pralhada manai khushiya.n| aba bhi kahate gate rasiya.n||
Verse 24 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
खुशी खुशी होलिका जला ते। डाँड रूप प्रल्हाद बचाते।।
khushi khushi holika jala te| da.nda rupa pralhada bachate||
Verse 25 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
ईश संग प्रल्हाद बधाई। होली पर सजती तरुणाई।।
isha samga pralhada badhai| holi para sajati tarunai||
Verse 26 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
कन्या सधवा व्रत बहु धरती। दहन होलिका पूजन करती।।
kanya sadhava vrata bahu dharati| dahana holika pujana karati||
Verse 27 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
दहन ज्वाल जौं बालि सेंकते। मौसम के अनुमान देखते।।
dahana jvala jaum bali semkate| mausama ke anumana dekhate||
Verse 28 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
दूजे दिवस रंगीली होली। रंग अबीर संग मुँहजोली।।
duje divasa ramgili holi| ramga abira samga mu.nhajoli||
Verse 29 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
रंग चंग मय भंग विलासी। गाते फाग करे जन हाँसी।।
ramga chamga maya bhamga vilasi| gate phaga kare jana ha.nsi||
Verse 30 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
ऊँच नीच वय भेद भुलाकर। मीत गले मिल रंग लगाकर।।
u.ncha nicha vaya bheda bhulakara| mita gale mila ramga lagakara||
Verse 31 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
कहीं खेलते कोड़ा मारी। नर सोचे मन ही मन गारी।।
kahim khelate ko.da mari| nara soche mana hi mana gari||
Verse 32 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
चले डोलची पत्थर मारी। विविध होलिका रीत हमारी।।
chale dolachi patthara mari| vividha holika rita hamari||
Verse 33 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
बृज में होली अजब मनाते। देश विदेशी दर्शक आते।।
brrija mem holi ajaba manate| desha videshi darshaka ate||
Verse 34 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
खाते गुझिया खीर मिठाई। जोर से कहते होली आई।।
khate gujhiya khira mithai| jora se kahate holi ai||
Verse 35 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
मेले भरते विविध रंग के। रीत रिवाज अनेक ढंग के।।
mele bharate vividha ramga ke| rita rivaja aneka dhamga ke||
Verse 36 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
पकते गेंहूँ,कटती सरसों। कहें इन्द्र से अब मत बरसो।।
pakate gemhu.n,katati sarasom| kahem indra se aba mata baraso||
Verse 37 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
होली प्यारी प्रीत सुहानी। चालीसा में यही कहानी।।
holi pyari prita suhani| chalisa mem yahi kahani||
Verse 38 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
शर्मा बाबू लाल निहारे। मीत प्रीत निज देश हमारे।।
sharma babu lala nihare| mita prita nija desha hamare||
Verse 39 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
होली पर हे सज्जनो, भली निभाओ प्रीत। सबकी संगत से सजे, देश प्रेम के गीत।।
holi para he sajjano, bhali nibhao prita| sabaki samgata se saje, desha prema ke gita||
Verse 40 of the Holika Chalisa – praise of Maa Holika in the Chalisa structure.
Why this chalisa
What the Holika Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
Daily anchor for Maa Holika-bhakti
Many homes recite the Holika Chalisa as part of the morning paath. The 40-verse text takes about seven minutes at a comfortable pace and serves as the daily devotional anchor.
For festival days
Holashtak & Holi and the major Maa Holika festivals are the central recitation periods. Many devotees do 11 or 21 paaths on these days.
For specific intentions
Many devotees take vows of 11, 21, 41, or 108 paaths over a fixed period for specific intentions – marriage, fertility, illness recovery, court matter. (This is a verse of devotional faith, not a replacement for medical or professional advice.)
Companion to wider tradition worship
Pair with related Chalisas of the same family or sampradaya for the complete daily practice. Holika is the demoness who attempted to burn Prahlad but was herself burnt; the bonfire-festival is dedicated to her
For pilgrim recitation
The Chalisa is recited during pilgrimage to the major Maa Holika shrines.
For households where Maa Holika is the kuldevta
For households where Maa Holika is the family deity, the Chalisa is the daily morning prayer and a central rite during family events.
Origin
The Holika Chalisa is the household-tradition Chalisa of Holika Mata. The text is generally placed in the late 19th to early 20th century CE; many published copies attribute it simply to tradition. Holika is the demoness who attempted to burn Prahlad but was herself burnt; the bonfire-festival is dedicated to her
Maa Holika is honoured in the wider Hindu tradition with festivals, pilgrimage shrines, and household worship. The Chalisa makes Maa Holika-bhakti accessible for daily householders without requiring extensive Sanskrit liturgy.
The Chalisa's narrative and iconography establish the central devotional connection. The verses move through praise of Maa Holika's form and qualities, narrative episodes from popular tradition, and personal petition – the standard Chalisa structure inherited from the Hanuman Chalisa.
The Chalisa's wider companions are Durga Chalisa, Kali Chalisa, and Vishnu Chalisa. Pair as appropriate for the daily practice.
How to recite
A simple, sustainable approach. Nothing here is a hard rule – devotion shapes the form, not the other way around.
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Preparation
Bathe and wear clean clothes. Sit facing East. Traditional offerings to Maa Holika: red flowers, akshat (rice), fruits, ghee diya, dhoop. Traditional offerings include red flowers, fruits, ghee diya, dhoop. Specific to Maa Holika traditions.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged with your spine straight. Bow once. Take a moment of silence. If reciting for a specific intention, offer a brief sankalp.
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Recitation
Move through the chaupais without rushing. Read with attention to the meaning of each verse. Recite with attention to the Maa Holika devotional emphasis as outlined in the verses.
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed for a moment. End with the bija mantra of Maa Holika if known.
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Daily practice and special days
Holashtak & Holi is auspicious. Holashtak (8 days before Holi), Holika Dahan, Holi are the central recitation periods. Many devotees do 11 paaths during festivals.