Is Choti Holi 2023 a dry day in Delhi? Check list of dry days in Delhi in March 2023

Every year, the Delhi government releases a list of dry days in the national capital, which includes all the noted and gazetted holidays in the country celebrated by the major religions. This year, March 8 will be a dry day in Delhi on account of Holi celebrations.

While it is a known fact that Holi, March 8, will be a dry day in Delhi due to the celebration of the festival of colours, many remain confused if March 7 will also be a dry day in the capital. March 7 is celebrated as Choti Holi or Holika Dahan, which comes one day before Holi.

According to the official list of dry days in Delhi in the year 2023, only March 8 has been listed as a dry day on account of Holi celebrations. March 7 i.e. Choti Holi is not a dry day in the national capital, which means the sale of alcohol is permitted on this day.

A dry day means that the sale of alcohol is banned on a specific day, which most likely falls on a notable festival or a national holiday. Dry days are also imposed in an area during election campaigning and result dates to maintain decorum and order.

It must be noted that there are only two dry days in Delhi in the month of March 2023. The first dry day is on Holi, March 8, and the second dry day in the capital is on March 30, on the occasion of Ram Navami 2023. This means that the sale of liquor is permitted on Choti Holi or Holika Dahan 2023.

Earlier, the Delhi excise policy had proposed that Delhi will only have three total dry days in the entire year – Independence Day, Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanti. However, this proposal was rejected after the liquor policy was revoked in Delhi.

READ | Dry Days in Delhi 2023: Check full list of dates and festivals when alcohol will be banned