The sacred Bhasma Aarti was performed at the Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple on the Rang Panchami festival which marks the end of Holi, also known as Krishna Panchami. Devotees witnessing the divine ritual in deep reverence early on Wednesday, March 19.
A unique Bhasma Aarti occurred in the early hours, as "Har Har Mahadev" chants echoed across the temple premises. Devotees brimming with devotion thronged the temple and queued up late into the night to seek Baba Mahakal's blessings.
Special Puja on the Occasion of ‘Rang Panchami’.
According to the Panchang, Holi is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna, while Rang Panchami is observed five days later, on the fifth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra. This year, Rang Panchami will be celebrated across India on 19 March 2025.
In the scriptures, Rang Panchami is also referred to as Dev Panchami, as it is believed that on this day, deities descend to Earth to play Holi with their devotees. To welcome them, devotees traditionally blow Abir (coloured powder) and Gulal into the sky as a symbolic invitation to the gods.