# Public holidays in India

Public Holidays in India, also known as Government Holidays colloquially, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in India at the union or state levels.
Being a culturally diverse country, there are many festivals celebrated in various regions across the country. There are only three national holidays declared by Government of India: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October). Apart from this, certain holidays which are celebrated nationally are declared centrally by the Union Government. Additionally, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

## National holidays

National holidays are mandatory holidays declared by Government of India which is applicable for all states and union territories of India.
| Date | Name | Type | Details |
| 26 January | Republic Day | Fixed | Celebrates the 1950 adoption of the Constitution of India |
| 15 August | Independence Day | Fixed | Celebrates the 1947 Independence from the British rule |
| 2 October | Gandhi Jayanti | Fixed | Honors Mahatma Gandhi, who was born on 2 October 1869 |

## Central holidays

In addition to the three fixed national holidays, Union Government of India declares additional days as holidays which are largely followed by central government offices and affiliates. In addition to designated fixed holidays, few other days are designated optional from which select number of days can be chosen according to individual convenience.

### Fixed

| Date | Name | Type | Details |
| March–April | Eid al-Fitr | Floating | Muslim festival that celebrates of the day of breaking the fast. It is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar. |
| March–April | Mahavir Janma Kalyanak | Floating | Jain festival that celebrates the birth of Mahavira (599 BC), the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara (supreme preacher) of present Avasarpiṇī |
| March–May | Good Friday | Floating | Christian festival that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus |
| 14 April | Ambedkar Jayanti | Fixed | Honors B. R. Ambedkar (1891-1956), the father of Indian Constitution, who was born on 14 April 1891 |
| April–June | Buddha's Birthday | Floating | Buddhist festival that celebrates Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism (c. 563-483 BC). It is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar. |
| June | Eid al-Adha | Floating | Muslim festival that honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, either Isaac or Ismail, as an act of obedience to God. |
| July–August | Ashura | Floating | Muslims mourn the martydom of Husayn Ibn Ali, prophet Muhammad's family. Also marks parting of the Red Sea by Moses, salvation of the Israelites, Noah's disembarkment from the Ark. |
| September | Mawlid | Floating | Muslim festival that celebrates the birth of Muhammad. It is celebrated in Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar. |
| September–October | Vijayadashami | Floating | Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated on the tenth day of Ashvin, the seventh month in the Hindu Calendar Sikh festival called Dasehra. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji instructed Sikhs to use this time as 9 nights of reciting Bir Ras - Judh Mai Bani (Bani infused with warrior spirit). By changing this festival to one focusing on ‘Shastar’ (weapon) and ‘Shaastar’ (scripture), Guru Sahib instilled ‘Chardi Kala’ and ‘Bir Ras’ (warrior spirit) into his Sikhs. Turning his Sikhs away from watching plays depicting demons such as Ravan, Meghnaad, Kumbhkaran getting defeated, Guru Sahib instead uttered all these feats inspiring warrior spirit in his Bani ‘Raam Avtar’, and instructed Sikhs to recite it during the period of Dasehra. |
| September–November | Diwali | Floating | Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Ashvin or Kartika in the Hindu Calendar Sikh festival to celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas in remembrance of the release of Guru Hargobind from the Gwalior Fort prison by the Mughal emperor Jahangir and the day he arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. |
| October–November | Guru Nanak's Birthday | Floating | Sikh festival that celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, (1469). |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Fixed | Christian festival that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, central figure of Christianity (c. 6 to 4BC–30 or 33AD) whose birth is commemorated on 25 December |

### Optional

| Date | Name | Type | Details |
| January | Makar Sankranti / Pongal | Floating | Hindu festival marking the transition of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn and dedicated to the solar deity Surya. |
| January–February | Vasant Panchami | Floating | Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring and celebrated on the fifth day of Magha, the eleventh month of Hindu calendar |
| February–March | Maha Shivaratri | Floating | Hindu festival to celebrate the wedding of Lord Shiva with Parvati, celebrated on the fourteenth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalguna or Magha in the Hindu calendar |
| March | Nowruz | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Persian New Year |
| March–April | Holi | Floating | Hindu festival of colors to celebrate the victory of good over evil (Specifically the death of the evil Holika, aunt of Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Vishnu) and arrival of spring, celebrated on full-moon day in the month of Phalguna in the Hindu calendar Sikh festival to celebrate with its historic texts referring to it as Hola. Guru Gobind Singh in addition to Holi created a three-day Hola Mohalla extension festival of martial arts. The extension started the day after the Holi festival in Anandpur Sahib, where Sikh soldiers would train in battles, compete in horsemanship, athletics, archery and military exercises. |
| March–April | Rama Navami | Floating | Hindu festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Rama celebrated on the ninth day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar |
| March–April | Ugadi | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Telugu and Kannada New Year |
| March–April | Cheti Chand | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Sindhi New Year |
| April | Puthandu | Floating | Tamil festival It is the first day of the Tamil calendar and celebrates the beginning of the new year in Tamil Nadu. It is also celebrates the agrarian people and harvest on the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai. |
| April | Vishu | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Malayali New Year |
| April | Vaisakhi | Floating | Sikh festival celebrates the beginning of the Solar new year in North India and spring harvest on the first day of the month of Vaisakh in the Punjabi calendar |
| April | Bohag Bihu | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Assamese New Year |
| April | Gudi Padwa | Floating | Celebrates the beginning of the Marathi and Konkani New Year |
| June–July | Ratha Yatra | Floating | Hindu festival involving a public procession of chariots with the deities Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra celebrated in Ashadha month of Hindu calendar |
| August–September | Krishna Janmashtami | Floating | Hindu festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna and celebrated on eighth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravana in the Hindu calendar |
| August–September | Ganesh Chaturthi | Floating | Hindu festival as a tribute to Lord Ganesha, celebrated on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada in the Hindu calendar |
| August–September | Onam | Floating | Hindu harvest festival celebrated by the people of Kerala commemorating the visit of Mahabali and celebrated in Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar |
| September–October | Navaratri | Floating | Hindu festival celebrating the first day of the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar |
| October–November | Chhath | Floating | Hindu harvest festival dedicated to Sun God Surya, celebrated in North and East India on the sixth day of the month of Kartika |
| October–November | Karva Chauth | Floating | Hindu festival celebrated by women to pray for the longevity of their husbands, observed on the fourth day after the full moon in the month of Kartika |

## State holidays

In addition to the above, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

### Harvest festivals

State holidays:Harvest festivals :
| Date | Name | Type | State/UT |
| 13 January | Bhogi | Fixed | Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala |
| 13 January–14 January | Lohri | Floating | Punjab |
| 14 January–15 January | Magh Bihu | Fixed | Assam |
| 14 January | Maghi | Fixed | Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Punjab |
| 1 March | Chapchar Kut | Fixed | Mizoram |
| September–October | Wangala | Floating | Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland |
| October–November | Kati Bihu | Floating | Assam |

### New year

State holidays:New year's days :
| Date | Name | State/UT |
| 13 April–14 April | Bohag Bihu | Assam |
| March–April | Gudi Padwa | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Maharashtra |
| August | Losoong | Sikkim |
| February–March | Losar | Ladakh |
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana |
| December 31 | New Year's Eve | Manipur |
| 13 April–14 April | Pana Sankranti | Odisha |
| 20 March–21 March | Parsi New Year | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Maharashtra |
| 14 April–15 April | Pohela Boishakh | Tripura, West Bengal |
| 13 April–14 April | Puthandu | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry |
| March–April | Sarhul | Jharkhand |
| March–April | Sajibu Nongma Panba | Manipur |
| March–April | Ugadi | Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana |
| 13 April–14 April | Vaisakhi | Jharkhand, Punjab |
| 14 April–15 April | Vishu | Kerala |
| November | Vikram Samvant New Year | Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |

### State days

State holidays:State days :
| Date | Name | State/UT |
| 1 November | Andhra Pradesh Day | Andhra Pradesh |
| 20 February | Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 2 December | Asom Day | Assam |
| 22 March | Bihar Day | Bihar |
| 1 November | Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava | Chhattisgarh |
| 19 December | Goa Liberation Day | Goa |
| 1 May | ગુજરાત સ્થાપના દિવસ | Gujarat |
| 1 November | Haryana Day | Haryana |
| 15 April | Himachal Day | Himachal Pradesh |
| 26 October | Jammu and Kashmir Accession day | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 1 November | Kannada Rajyothsava | Karnataka |
| 1 November | Kerala Day | Kerala |
| 1 May | Maharashtra Day | Maharashtra |
| 20 February | Mizoram State Day | Mizoram |
| 1 December | Nagaland State Inauguration Day | Nagaland |
| 1 April | Odisha Day | Odisha |
| 16 August | Puducherry De Jure Transfer Day | Puducherry |
| 1 November | Puducherry Liberation Day | Puducherry |
| 16 May | Sikkim State Day | Sikkim |
| 2 June | Telangana Formation Day | Telangana |
| 17 September | Hyderabad-Karnataka Liberation Day | Karnataka |

### Birth and anniversary days

State holidays:Birth and anniversary days :
| Date | Name | State/UT |
| 14 April | Ambedkar Jayanti | Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal |
| 5 April | Babu Jag Jivan Ram's Birthday | Bihar |
| 23 April | Basava Jayanti | Karnataka |
| 13 July | Bhanu Jayanti | Sikkim |
| 19 February | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | Maharashtra |
| 18 December | Guru Ghasidas Jayanti | Chandigarh |
| February | Guru Ravidass Jayanti | Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab |
| 23 September | Heroes' Martyrdom Day | Haryana |
| 26 September | Janmotsav | Assam |
| 4 June | Kabir Jayanti | Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab |
| 15 November | Kanakadasa Jayanthi | Karnataka |
| 25 May | Kazi Nazrul Islam Jayanti | Tripura |
| 15 October | Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti | Haryana |
| 23 September | Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's Birthday | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 9 May | Maharana Pratap Jayanti | Rajasthan |
| 13 July | Martyrs' Day | Jharkhand |
| 23 January | Netaji's Birthday | Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal |
| 12 December | Pa Togan Sangma | Meghalaya |
| 7 May | Rabindranath Tagore's Birthday | West Bengal |
| 26 September | Ramdev Jayanti | Rajasthan |
| 23 March | Shaheedi Diwas | Punjab |
| 31 October | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Birthday | Gujarat |
| 26 December | Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti | Haryana |
| 31 July | Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom day | Haryana |
| 20 August | Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi | Kerala |
| 20 September | Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi | Kerala |
| 12 January | Swami Vivekananda's Birthday | West Bengal |
| 15 January–16 January | Thiruvalluvar Day | Tamil Nadu |
| 18 December | U Soso Tham Death Anniversary | Meghalaya |
| 30 December | U Kiang Nangbah | Meghalaya |
| 17 July | U Tirot Sing Day | Meghalaya |

### Religious days

State holidays:Religious days :
| Date | Name | Type | State/UT |
| June–July | Akshaya Tritiya | Hindu | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab |
| October–November | Ayudha Puja | Hindu | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Lakshadweep |
| September–October | Bathukamma | Hindu | Telangana |
| November | Bhai Dooj | Hindu | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| June | Bonalu | Hindu | Telangana |
| October–November | Chhath | Hindu | Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| March | Dol Jatra | Hindu | West Bengal |
| October | Durga Puja | Hindu | West Bengal |
| August–September | Ganesh Chaturthi | Hindu | Andhra Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Telangana, Tamil Nadu |
| October–November | Ghatasthapana | Hindu | Rajasthan |
| April | Garia Puja | Hindu | Tripura |
| November | Govardhan Puja | Hindu | Haryana |
| April | Hanuman Jayanti | Hindu | Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh |
| August–September | Hartalika Teej | Hindu | Chandigarh, Sikkim |
| September–October | Haryali Teej | Hindu | Haryana |
| March–April | Holi | Hindu | Pan India except Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal |
| March | Holika Dahan | Hindu | Rajasthan |
| August–September | Jhulan Purnima | Hindu | Odisha |
| November | Kali Puja | Hindu | West Bengal |
| November | Kartika Purnima | Hindu | Odisha, Tamil Nadu |
| July | Ker Puja | Hindu | Tripura |
| June | Kharchi Puja | Hindu | Tripura |
| August–September | Krishna Janmashtami | Hindu | Andaman and Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| October | Lakshmi Puja | Hindu | Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal |
| October–November | Maha Astami | Hindu | Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, West Bengal |
| March–April | Maha Navami | Hindu | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| October–November | Maha Saptami | Hindu | Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal |
| February–March | Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | Pan India except Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal |
| October | Mahalaya | Hindu | Karnataka, Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal |
| October | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | Hindu | Chandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab |
| April | Nag Panchami | Hindu | Maharashtra |
| April–May | Maharshi Parasuram Jayanti | Hindu | Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan |
| June | Raja Parba | Hindu | Odisha |
| August | Raksha Bandhan | Hindu | Chandigarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| March–April | Ram Navami | Hindu | Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| November | Rahasa Purnima | Hindu | Odisha |
| June–July | Rath Jatra | Hindu | Odisha |
| February | Ratha Saptami | Hindu | Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra |
| September–October | Teja Dashmi | Hindu | Rajasthan |
| January–February | Thaipusam | Hindu | Tamil Nadu |
| January–February | Vasant Panchami | Hindu | Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Tripura, West Bengal |
| September | Vishwakarma day | Hindu | Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal |
| February | Dosmoche | Buddhist | Ladakh |
| July | Drupka Teshi | Buddhist | Ladakh |
| November | Lhabab Duchen | Buddhist | Sikkim |
| December | Pang-Lhabsol | Buddhist | Sikkim |
| August | Chehlum | Muslim | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh |
| April | Jumat-ul-Vida | Muslim | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 28 January | Mohm Hajarat Ali | Muslim | Bihar |
| April | Shab-I-Qadr | Muslim | Jammu and Kashmir |
| December | Feast of St. Francis Xavier | Christian | Goa |
| April | Easter | Christian | Kerala |
| 11 January | Missionary Day | Christian | Meghalaya |
| 5 January | Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Sikh | Chandigarh, Haryana |
| 19 June | Guru Hargobind Ji's birthday | Sikh | Jharkhand |
| 28 August | Parkash Utsav Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji | Sikh | Punjab |
| 3 June | Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji's Martyrdom Day | Sikh | Punjab |
| 28 November | Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji's Martyrdom Day | Sikh | Punjab |
| August | Samvatsari | Jain | Gujarat |
| July | Behdienkhlam | Indigenous | Meghalaya |
| November | Chapchar Kut | Indigenous | Mizoram |
| December | Indigenous Faith Day | Indigenous | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam |
| January | Gaan-Ngai | Indigenous | Assam, Manipur, Nagaland |
| January | Imoinu Iratpa | Indigenous | Manipur |
| October | Indrajatra | Indigenous | Sikkim |
| February | Lui Ngai Ni | Indigenous | Manipur |
| January | Me-Dam-Me-Phi | Indigenous | Assam |
| November | Ningol Chakouba | Indigenous | Manipur |
| September | Nuakhai | Indigenous | Odisha |
| August | Tendong Lho Rumfaat | Indigenous | Sikkim |
| March | Yaosang | Indigenous | Manipur |

### Others

State holidays:Others :
| Date | Name | State/UT |
| 1 May | May Day | Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Puducherry, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal |
| 6 July | MHIP day | Mizoram |
| 13 August | Patriot's day | Manipur |
| 24 April | Panchaytiraj Diwas | Odisha |
| 30 June | Remna Ni | Mizoram |
| 23 November | Seng Kut Snem | Mizoram |
| 15 June | YMA Day | Mizoram |

## Others

Banks have specific holidays according to the various states or union territories in addition to every second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions have specific term holidays according to the state or board.