Specific bridal items such as the mangalsutra (an auspicious thread worn as a necklace), a new Nauvari saree (a nine-yard saree worn by Koli women), and glass bangles are also placed on the effigy.
Close to midnight, logs of wood and cow dung cakes are arranged around the base of the effigy in preparation for the bonfire. Camphor is also added to expedite the lighting process.
Once all the offerings have been placed in the cloth, it is twisted, folded, and tied around the womb of the effigy. Several such pieces of cloth are tied around the effigy, each donated by a groups or families.
The final rituals are performed by the senior member of the family. In the past, when only one bonfire was kindled in the entire village, the task of lighting the fire was assigned to the patil (village headman).
Various farm offerings are made to the effigy of Holika, particularly coconuts, which symbolize fertility and prosperity in Koli culture. Coconuts are integral to all major Koli rituals, ranging from Narali purnima to wedding ceremonies and the Holika dahan rituals.
A special ritual known as veni bharan involves placing a floral veni on Holika’s hair to complete her bridal appearance. A veni is a hair accessory made by stringing together fresh flowers such as jasmine, roses, and marigolds into a circular or crescent-shaped garland.
The Goddess is symbolically embodied by a facemask that is attached to the tree trunk, serving as the deity’s body. A horizontal pole extends from the trunk, representing the Goddess’s arms. This arrangement gives Holika an anthropomorphic form, which is worshipped by devotees.
Holika is associated with fertility, marriage, and birth; therefore, her rituals can be performed only by married women in the family, known as suvasini, and not by widows or unmarried girls.