Public holidays in India explained

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.

National holidays[1]
DateNameTypeDetails
Republic DayfixedCelebrates the 1950 adoption of the Constitution of India[2]
Independence DayfixedCelebrates the 1947 Independence from the British rule[3]
Gandhi JayantifixedHonors Mahatma Gandhi, who was born on October 2, 1869[4]

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

Central holidays:Fixed[5]
NameTypeDetails
Buddha PurnimaFloatingBuddhist 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.[6]
Christmas DayFixedChristian festival that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, central figure of Christianity (c. 6to4BC–30or33AD) whose birth is commemorated on December 25[7]
Dussehra (Vijayadashami)FloatingHindu 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[8]
DiwaliFloatingHindu festival of lights. It is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Ashvin or Kartika in the Hindu Calendar[9]
Good FridayFloatingChristian festival that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus[10]
Guru Nanak's BirthdayFloatingSikh festival that celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, (1469).[11]
Eid ul-FitrFloatingMuslim festival that celebrates of the day of breaking the fast. It is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar.[12]
Eid-ul AdhaFloatingMuslim festival that honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, either Isaac or Ismail, as an act of obedience to God.[13]
Mahavir JayantiFloatingJain festival that celebrates the birth of Mahavira (599 BC), the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara (supreme preacher) of present Avasarpiṇī[14]
MuharramFloatingMuslims mourn the killing 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.
MawlidFloatingMuslim festival that celebrates the birth of Muhammad. It is celebrated in Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.[15]

Optional

Central holidays:Optional
NameTypeDetails
HoliFloatingHindu 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[16]
Krishna JanmastamiFloatingHindu 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
Ram NavamiFloatingHindu 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
Maha ShivaratriFloatingHindu 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[17]
Ganesh ChaturthiFloatingHindu festival as a tribute to Lord Ganesha, celebrated on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada in the Hindu calendar[18]
Makar Sankranti / PongalFloatingHindu festival marking the transition of the sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn and dedicated to the solar deity Surya.[19]
Rath YatraFloatingHindu festival involving a public procession of chariots with the deities Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra celebrated in Ashadha month of Hindu calendar
OnamFloatingHindu harvest festival celebrated by the people of Kerala commemorating the visit of Mahabali and celebrated in Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar
Basant PanchamiFloatingHindu 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
VishuFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Malayali New Year[20]
VaisakhiFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Solar new year in North India and spring harvest on the first day of the month of Vaisakh in the Hindu calendar
Bohag BihuFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Assamese New Year
UgadiFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Telugu and Kannada New Year
Cheti ChandFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Sindhi New Year
Gudi PadwaFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Marathi and Konkani New Year
NaurozFloatingCelebrates the beginning of the Persian New Year
ChhathFloatingHindu harvest festival dedicated to Sun God Surya, celebrated in North and East India on the sixth day of the month of Kartika
NavratriFloatingHindu festival celebrating the first day of the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar
Karva ChauthFloatingHindu 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.[1]

Harvest festivals

State holidays:Harvest festivals[21]
NameState/UT
BhogiAndhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala
Chapchar KutMizoram
Kanum PongalTamil Nadu
Kati BihuAssam
LohriPunjab
Magh BihuAssam
MaghiHaryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Punjab
SankrantiAndhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Sikkim, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Punjab, West Bengal
OnamKerala
PongalPuducherry, Tamil Nadu
ThiruvonamKerala
Uzhavar ThirunalPuducherry, Tamil Nadu
WangalaAssam, Meghalaya, Nagaland

New year

State holidays:New year's days
NameState/UT
Bohag BihuAssam
Gudi PadwaDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Maharashtra
LosoongSikkim
LosarLadakh
New Year's Day
New Year's EveManipur
Pana SankrantiOdisha
Parsi New YearDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Pohela BoishakhTripura, West Bengal
PuthaanduTamil Nadu, Puducherry
SarhulJharkhand
Sajibu Nongma PanbaManipur
Ugadi
VaisakhiJharkhand, Punjab
VishuKerala
Vikram Samvant New YearGujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

State days

State holidays:State days
NameState/UT
Andhra Pradesh DayAndhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh Statehood DayArunachal Pradesh
Asom DayAssam
Bihar DayBihar
Chhattisgarh RajyotsavaChhattisgarh
Goa Liberation DayGoa
ગુજરાત સ્થાપના દિવસGujarat
Haryana DayHaryana
Himachal DayHimachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir Accession dayJammu and Kashmir
Kannada RajyothsavaKarnataka
Maharashtra DayMaharashtra
Mizoram State DayMizoram
Nagaland State Inauguration DayNagaland
Odisha DayOdisha
Puducherry De Jure Transfer DayPuducherry
Puducherry Liberation DayPuducherry
Sikkim State DaySikkim
Telangana Formation DayTelangana
Hyderabad-Karnataka Liberation DayKarnataka

Birth and anniversary days

State holidays:Birth and anniversary days
NameState/UT
Ambedkar Jayanti
Babu Jag Jivan Ram's BirthdayBihar
Basava JayantiKarnataka
Bhanu JayantiSikkim
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj JayantiMaharashtra
Guru Ghasidas JayantiChandigarh
Guru Ravidass JayantiChandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
Heroes' Martyrdom DayHaryana
JanmotsavAssam
Kabir Jayanti
Kanakadasa JayanthiKarnataka
Kazi Nazrul Islam JayantiTripura
Maharaja Agrasen JayantiHaryana
Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's BirthdayJammu and Kashmir
Maharana Pratap JayantiRajasthan
Martyrs' DayJharkhand
Netaji's BirthdayOdisha, Tripura, West Bengal
Pa Togan SangmaMeghalaya
Rabindranath Tagore's BirthdayWest Bengal
Ramdev JayantiRajasthan
Shaheedi DiwasPunjab
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's BirthdayGujarat
Shaheed Udham Singh JayantiHaryana
Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom dayHaryana
Sree Narayana Guru JayanthiKerala
Sree Narayana Guru SamadhiKerala
Swami Vivekananda's BirthdayWest Bengal
Thiruvalluvar DayTamil Nadu
U Soso Tham Death AnniversaryMeghalaya
U Kiang NangbahMeghalaya
U Tirot Sing DayMeghalaya

Religious days

State holidays:Religious days
NameTypeState/UT
Akshaya TritiyaHinduMaharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab
Ayudha PujaHinduTamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Lakshadweep
BathukammaHinduTelangana
Bhai DoojHindu
BonaluHinduTelangana
ChhathHinduBihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
Dol JatraHinduWest Bengal
HinduWest Bengal
Ganesh ChaturthiHindu
GhatasthapanaHinduRajasthan
Garia PujaHinduTripura
Govardhan PujaHinduHaryana
Hanuman JayantiHinduAndhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh
Hartalika TeejHinduChandigarh, Sikkim
Haryali TeejHinduHaryana
HoliHinduPan India except Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
Holika DahanHinduRajasthan
Jhulan PurnimaHinduOdisha
Kali PujaHinduWest Bengal
Kartika PurnimaHinduOdisha, Tamil Nadu
Ker PujaHinduTripura
Kharchi PujaHinduTripura
Krishna JanmashtamiHinduAndaman 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
Lakshmi PujaHinduOdisha, Tripura, West Bengal
Maha AstamiHinduArunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, West Bengal
Maha NavamiHinduAndhra Pradesh, Telangana
Maha SaptamiHinduOdisha, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal  
Maha ShivaratriHindu
MahalayaHinduKarnataka, Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal
Maharishi Valmiki JayantiHinduChandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab
Nag PanchamiHinduMaharashtra
Maharshi Parasuram JayantiHinduGujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan
Raja ParbaHinduOdisha
Raksha BandhanHinduChandigarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh
Ram NavamiHinduAndaman 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
Rahasa PurnimaHinduOdisha
Rath JatraHinduOdisha
Ratha SaptamiHinduAndhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra
Teja DashmiHinduRajasthan
ThaipusamHinduTamil Nadu
Vasant PanchamiHindu
Vishwakarma dayHinduAssam, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
DosmocheBuddhistLadakh
Drupka TeshiBuddhistLadakh
Lhabab DuchenBuddhistSikkim
Pang-LhabsolBuddhistSikkim
ChehlumMuslimBihar, Uttar Pradesh
Jumat-ul-VidaMuslimJammu and Kashmir
Mohm Hajarat AliMuslimBihar
Shab-I-QadrMuslimJammu and Kashmir
Feast of St. Francis XavierChristianGoa
EasterChristianKerala
Missionary DayChristianMeghalaya
Guru Gobind Singh JayantiSikhChandigarh, Haryana
Guru Hargobind Ji's birthdaySikhJharkhand
Parkash Utsav Sri Guru Granth Sahib JiSikhPunjab
SikhPunjab
Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji's Martyrdom DaySikhPunjab
SamvatsariJainGujarat
BehdienkhlamIndigenousMeghalaya
Chapchar KutIndigenousMizoram
Indigenous Faith DayIndigenousArunachal Pradesh, Assam
Gaan-NgaiIndigenousAssam, Manipur, Nagaland
Imoinu IratpaIndigenousManipur
IndrajatraIndigenousSikkim
Lui Ngai NiIndigenousManipur
Me-Dam-Me-PhiIndigenousAssam
Ningol ChakoubaIndigenousManipur
NuakhaiIndigenousOdisha
Tendong Lho RumfaatIndigenousSikkim
YaosangIndigenousManipur

Others

State holidays:Others
NameState/UT
May DayAssam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Puducherry, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal
MHIP dayMizoram
Patriot's dayManipur
Panchaytiraj DiwasOdisha
Remna NiMizoram
Seng Kut SnemMizoram
YMA DayMizoram

Others

Banks have specific holidays according to the various states or union territories in addition to every second and fourth Saturdays of the month.[22] Schools, colleges and other educational institutions have specific term holidays according to the state or board.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bank holidays in India. Forbes. 29 May 2023. 1 November 2023.
  2. Introduction to Constitution of India . Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. 29 July 2008. 14 October 2008.
  3. News: Independence Day of India, 15 August 2020: History, Significance, Facts and Celebration. 15 August 2020. Times of India. 1 November 2023.
  4. News: Gandhi Jayanti 2023: Date, history, significance and all you need to know about Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. 2 October 2023. Hindustan Times. 1 November 2023.
  5. 2023 Holiday list. Government of India. 1 November 2023.
  6. News: 5 May 2023. Buddha Purnima 2023: Date, Timings, Story, Teachings and Significance. Times of India. 31 July 2023. 0971-8257.
  7. Web site: The Global Religious Landscape. Pew Research Center. 18 December 2012. 23 May 2014.
  8. Web site: Navratri. Britannica. 1 May 2023.
  9. Web site: Diwali. Britannica. 1 May 2023.
  10. Book: The Chambers Dictionary. 2002. 13 April 2012. Allied Publishers. 978-81-86062-25-8. 639.
  11. News: Guru Nanak Jayanti 2019: History, significance and traditions. 11 November 2019. Hindustan Times. 5 May 2020.
  12. Book: Elias, Jamal J.. Islam. Routledge. 1999. 978-0-4152-1165-9. 75.
  13. Web site: Id al-Adha . https://web.archive.org/web/20190410065901/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e969. dead. 10 April 2019. 11 July 2020. Oxford Islamic Studies Online.
  14. Book: Gazetteers: Junagadh. (India). Gujarat. 1975. 13.
  15. Schussman . Aviva . 1998 . The Legitimacy and Nature of Mawid al-Nabī: (analysis of a Fatwā) . Islamic Law and Society . 5 . 2 . 214–234 . 10.1163/1568519982599535.
  16. Web site: Holi. Britannica. 1 November 2023.
  17. Web site: Maha-shivaratri. Britannica. 1 November 2023.
  18. Web site: Ganesh Chaturthi. Britannica. 1 November 2023.
  19. Web site: Pongal . 1 November 2023 . Britannica.
  20. Web site: Vishu. Britannica. 1 November 2023.
  21. Web site: Bank holiday list. HDFC Bank. 1 November 2023.
  22. Web site: Saturday bank holidays. RBI. 1 November 2023.