Which Mughal emperor banned Holi in 1665?

Aurangzeb banned the public celebration of Holi in 1665. The order was issued through a farman, or royal decree, in November of that year during his Mughal reign.

The ban marked a sharp contrast with earlier Mughal court culture. Holi had sometimes been celebrated at the imperial court, where it was known by names such as Eid-e-gulaabi and Aab-e-Pashi. Mughal rulers and nobles could take part in color-throwing festivities, and paintings survive showing members of the court engaging with the festival.

Aurangzeb’s religious policies were generally more conservative than those of several predecessors. His restrictions affected public observance, but they did not erase Holi from the subcontinent. Local customs continued, and the festival was celebrated again more openly after his death.

A common mix-up is to attribute the ban to Akbar, Jahangir, or Shah Jahan. Those emperors are instead associated with periods when Holi was welcomed or depicted in Mughal court life. The date also matters: the decree belongs to 1665, not to the later temple and policy controversies of Aurangzeb’s reign.