As the lights of Diwali fade and the air still carries the warmth of family gatherings, devotion and festive spirit, comes a special day of homage, gratitude and divine blessing: Bali Pratipada.
This year, 2025, marks yet another moment when devotees across India observe this meaningful festival.
Bali Pratipada 2025: Date, muhurat, and key timings
In 2025, Bali Pratipada is celebrated on Wednesday, October 22. The key timings (muhūrtas) are:
- Pratahkāla (early morning): 06:21 AM to 08:38 AM.
- Sayānkāla (evening): 03:29 PM to 05:46 PM.
The tithi (pratipada) begins at 04:24 PM on October 21 and ends at 06:46 PM on October 22.
With these timings in hand, families can plan their prayers, offerings and family gettogethers in a spirit of reverence and joy.
What is Bali Pratipada and why is it celebrated?
The legend behind the festival is both rich and inspiring. According to Hindu tradition:
During the course of his varied forms (avatars), Vamana — the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu — visited the mighty demon-king King Bali.
Despite being a demon-king, Bali was renowned for his unwavering devotion and generosity. As a reward, Vishnu permitted him to visit Earth (Bhulok) once every year with abundant blessings for his devotees.
Bali Pratipada is that occasion — an opportunity for devotees to honour Bali’s virtues and seek his blessings.
In a nutshell, the festival is not just about ritual; it invites us to reflect on humility, selflessness and devotion — even in unexpected places.
Rituals and traditions observed on Bali Pratipada
Here’s how the day is typically observed:
A key part of the celebration is drawing or installing an image (idol) of King Bali (and sometimes his wife, Vindhyāvali) at the heart of the household. This is decorated beautifully — often with five colours — and worshipped with offerings.
Homes might be cleaned, lit up with diyas and flowers, and a special puja (prayer) is performed, either in the morning or evening muhurta.
The festival overlaps in many places with Govardhan Puja, which honours Lord Krishna and the Govardhan hill, thereby linking stories and rituals from different regions.
In South India, there’s a resonance with the festival of Onam — also dedicated to King Bali — showing how across geography, the spirit of the story continues.
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