This list primarily includes the National Gazetted Holidays (mandatory for central government offices/banks) and other major festivals. Please note that State Government/regional holidays will vary.
📅 January 2026
| Date |
Day |
Holiday / Festival |
Type |
Observed in States (Key Examples) |
| Jan 01 | Thursday | New Year's Day | State/Regional | TN, Puducherry, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya |
| Jan 14 | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti / Pongal | Central/Regional | North/West: Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana. South: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu |
| Jan 15 | Thursday | Pongal / Thiruvalluvar Day | State/Regional | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry |
| Jan 26 | Monday | Republic Day | National | All States and UTs |
📅 February 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Feb 01 | Sunday | Thai Poosam | State/Regional | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala |
| Feb 16 | Monday | Maha Shivaratri | Central | Widely observed (e.g., UP, MP, Gujarat, Kerala) |
| Feb 19 | Thursday | Shivaji Jayanti | State/Regional | Maharashtra |
📅 March 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Mar 04 | Wednesday | Holi | Central | Widely observed (North, West, Central India) |
| Mar 19 | Thursday | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa | State/Regional | Karnataka, Maharashtra, AP, Telangana |
| Mar 21 | Saturday | Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramzan) | Central (Tentative) | Widely observed, especially UP, MH, AP, TN |
| Mar 26 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Central | Widely observed (North, Central India) |
| Mar 31 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti | Central | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra |
📅 April 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Apr 01 | Wednesday | Annual Bank Closing | Banks Only | All India (Banks only) |
| Apr 03 | Friday | Good Friday | Central | Widely observed (esp. Kerala, Goa, NE states) |
| Apr 14 | Tuesday | Vaisakhi / Tamil New Year | State/Regional | Tamil Nadu, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam |
📅 May 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| May 01 | Friday | Labour Day (May Day) / Buddha Purnima | Central/State | Widely observed (TN, MH, KA, UK, UP, Bihar) |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid) | Central (Tentative) | Widely observed |
📅 June 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Jun 26 | Friday | Muharram | Central (Tentative) | Widely observed (e.g., TN, UP, AP, MH) |
📅 July 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Jul 16 | Thursday | Rath Yatra | State/Regional | Odisha |
| - | - | *No Central Holiday* | - | - |
📅 August 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Aug 15 | Saturday | Independence Day | National | All States and UTs |
| Aug 26 | Wednesday | Milad-un-Nabi | Central (Tentative) | Widely observed (e.g., Kerala, Telangana) |
📅 September 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Sep 04 | Friday | Janmashtami (Krishna Jayanti) | Central | Widely observed (UP, Delhi, Haryana) |
| Sep 14 | Monday | Vinayaka Chaturthi | Central | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana |
📅 October 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Oct 02 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti | National | All States and UTs |
| Oct 19 | Monday | Durga Ashtami / Ayudha Pooja | Central/Regional | West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
| Oct 20 | Tuesday | Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra) | Central | Widely observed (especially North/East/South India) |
📅 November 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Nov 08 | Sunday | Diwali (Deepavali) | Central | Widely observed |
| Nov 24 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Central | Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP |
📅 December 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday / Festival | Type | Observed in States (Key Examples) |
|---|
| Dec 24 | Thursday | Vaikuntha Ekadashi | Regional | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas | National | All States and UTs |
While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.
📌 Important Notes
-
Tentative Dates: Dates for Islamic festivals (e.g., Eid-ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Muharram) are dependent on the sighting of the moon and may shift by one day.
-
Regional Variation: Holidays marked as 'State/Regional' are mandatory only in the respective states.
-
National Holidays: Dates marked as National are observed uniformly across all states and central government entities in India.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What are the three National Holidays in India in 2026?
The three National Gazetted Holidays observed uniformly across India are: 1. Republic Day: January 26 (Monday) 2. Independence Day: August 15 (Saturday) 3. Gandhi Jayanti: October 02 (Friday)
Q2. Is Diwali a compulsory public holiday across all states in 2026?
Yes, Diwali (Deepavali) is listed as a compulsory Central Government holiday (Gazetted Holiday) in India, falling on November 08, 2026 (Sunday).
Q3. When is Makar Sankranti/Pongal in 2026?
Makar Sankranti (known as Pongal in Tamil Nadu) falls on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday). The four-day Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu runs from January 14 to January 17.
Q4. Why do the dates for festivals like Ramzan/Eid change every year?
Islamic festivals like Ramzan (Eid-ul-Fitr) and Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) are based on the Hijri calendar, which is a lunar calendar. Since the lunar month is shorter than the solar month, the dates of these festivals shift approximately 10 to 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar. The exact date is often confirmed by the local sighting of the new moon.
0 Comments