Public holidays in India
Encyclopedia
India
, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. There are three national holidays in India: states
and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu
festivals of Diwali
, Ganesh Chaturthi
, Holi
, Dussehra, Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr
, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid an-Nabī and Christian festivals of Christmas and days of observances such as Good Friday
are observed throughout the country.
Muharram
, mourning for the Prophet Muhammad's grandson is observed by some sects of Islam. In addition, the Sikh festivals such as Guru Nanak Jayanti, the Christian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday
and Jain festivals like Mahavir Jayanti
, Paryushan are celebrated in certain areas where these religions have a significant following.The annual holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom.
The following is a List of events that are declared public holidays in the calendar of Government of India or the States or both in some cases:
National holidays are observed in all states and union territories.
India
has three national day
s. They are:
For dates see:
ians who use a Kadmi calendar. The North Americans and European Parsi
s have adapted their own version of the Fasli
calendar. This is however looked down upon by a lot of the Parsis in North America, who continue to use the Shahenshai calendar. These differences cause changes in the dates of the holidays. For example, the Zoroastrian New Year
falls in the spring for the Iranians but in the summer for the Parsis
It was also recommended to increase the amount of existing Restricted Holidays (Optional Holidays) depending on one's religious persuasion from existing two to eight. The rationale being, 8 holidays can more than cater for the festivals of any particular religion. So there is no point in having more than these many number of holidays, since religion does not warrant a Hindu to celebrate Id or a Muslim to celebrate Diwali.
With the proposed system, however, it was left to the individual to chose which 8 Holidays to celebrate, irrespective of his religious belief. However, this recommendation has not been accepted by the Govt. of India, fearing a loss of popularity, and thus Indian Govt. continues with an unusually large number of religious holidays as compared to most other countries.
Apart from this local administration at district level also issue list of additional holidays known as local holidays, which are observed at district level.
issues list of holidays to be observed in central government offices during the respective year. The list is divided in two parts i.e Annexure I & Annexure II.
It consists of holidays which have to be observed compulsorily across India. These holidays are:
In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays are decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals (if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State). The final list is applicable uniformly to all Central Government offices within the concerned State shall. they are notified after seeking prior approval of this Ministry and no change can be carried out thereafter. No change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. There are three national holidays in India: states
Independence Day (India)
The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in...
and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
festivals of Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
, Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...
, Holi
Holi
Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...
, Dussehra, Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid an-Nabī and Christian festivals of Christmas and days of observances such as Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
are observed throughout the country.
Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
, mourning for the Prophet Muhammad's grandson is observed by some sects of Islam. In addition, the Sikh festivals such as Guru Nanak Jayanti, the Christian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
and Jain festivals like Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti
In Jainism, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak is the most important religious holiday. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. On the Gregorian calendar, the holiday occurs either in March or April....
, Paryushan are celebrated in certain areas where these religions have a significant following.The annual holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom.
The following is a List of events that are declared public holidays in the calendar of Government of India or the States or both in some cases:
National holidays
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
has three national day
National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...
s. They are:
| Date | English name |
|---|---|
| 26 January | Republic Day Republic Day (India) The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950.... |
| 15 August | Independence Day Independence Day (India) The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in... |
| 2 October | Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday Gandhi Jayanti Gandhi Jayanti is a National Holiday celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the birthday of Mohandas Gandhi, the "Father of the Nation." He was born on October 2, 1869. Hence Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on the 2nd of October. It is one of the three official declared National... |
Buddhist holidays
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Losar Losar Losar is the Tibetan word for "new year." lo holds the semantic field "year, age"; sar holds the semantic field "new, fresh". Losar is the most important holiday in Tibet.... |
Sikkim, Ladakh |
| Buddha Purnima | Andaman & Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh,Tripura, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
Christian holidays
| Date | Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Thursday | all states and territories except Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura | |
| Good Friday Good Friday Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of... |
all states and territories except Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura | |
| Easter Sunday | all states and territories except Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura | |
| 3 December | St. Francis Xavier Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534... |
Goa |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | all states and territories |
Hindu holidays
Hindus celebrate a number of festivals all through the year. From celebrating the advent of spring to celebrating the win of good over evil, Hindu religion and culture provide its followers endless reasons to celebrate. Given below is the list of just a few of these festivals that are celebrated with great zest and fervor.For dates see:
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Bhogi | Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third... , Tamil Nadu |
| Sankranti Sankranti Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all.* Makara Sankaranti: or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of... |
Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam [as Magh Bihu (Sankranti)], Bihar [as Makar Sankranti], Gujarat [as Uttarayan], Karnataka, Orissa[as Makar Sankranti], Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu[as Pongal], Rajasthan |
| Thiruvalluvar Day | Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu |
| Uzhavar Thirunal (Farmers' Day) |
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh... |
| Vasant Panchami Vasant Panchami Vasant Panchami , sometimes referred to as Vasant Panchami or Shree Panchami , is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh , the first day of spring... /Saraswati Puja |
Orissa Orissa Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April... , Tripura, West Bengal West Bengal West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP... , Bihar |
| Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivarathri is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the month of Maagha or Phalguna... |
Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Haryana |
| Naag Panchami | all states and territories except Goa, Punjab |
| Holi Holi Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United... (Aka, Dol) |
all states and territories except Karnataka, Kerala, Nagaland, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Tripura |
| Maharishi Parasuram Jayanti | Karnataka Karnataka Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava... , Uttar Pradesh |
| Rath Jatra Rath Yatra Ratha Yatra is a huge Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Orissa, India during the months of June or July. Most of the city's society is based around the worship of Jagannath with the ancient temple being the fulcrum of the area... |
Orissa |
| Raksha Bandhan (Aka, Rákhi Púrńimá) | Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Orissa |
| Krishna Janmashtami | Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal |
| Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival... |
Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
| Onam Onam Onam is a Hindu festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. The festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. It falls during the month of Chingam and lasts for ten days... |
Kerala, Pondicherry |
| Raja Parba | Orissa |
| Mahalaya | Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa |
| Dussehra (Aka, Durgá Pujá) | all states observed for 2 days in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh observed for 3 days in Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura observed for 6 days in West Bengal 11th day Bhashani Utchhav in Orissa |
| Lakshmi Puja Lakshmi Puja Lakshmi puja is performed during Diwali, the festival of lights. According to tradition people would put small oil lamps outside their homes on Diwali and hope Lakshmi will come to bless them.... / Kumara Purnima |
Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura |
| Diwali Diwali Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons... (Aka, Káli Puja and Diipávali) |
all states and territories observed for 2 days in Assam, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh |
| Hartalika Teej | Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh |
| Sharad Poornima | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhatisgarh |
| Bhai Duj (Aka, Bhái photá) | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Jagaddhatri Puja | West Bengal |
| Visvakarma Puja | Orissa, West Bengal |
| Nuakhai Nuakhai Nuakhai or Nuankhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of western Orissa in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season... |
Orissa |
Islamic holidays
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Day of Ashura Day of Ashura The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10... 10th Day of Muharram Muharram Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited... |
Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka,Kerala Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand |
| Mawlid Mawlid Mawlid or sometimes ميلاد , mīlād is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal,... Eid-e-Milād-un-Nabī Baarah Wafaat Prophet's Birthday |
Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka,Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand |
| Shab-e-Barat Mid-Sha'ban |
Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana , Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jahrkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Birthday of Ali ibn Abi talib Terah Rajab Hazrat Ali |
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar |
| Jumat-ul-Wida Alvida Last Friday in Ramadan |
Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| Eid ul-Fitr Eid ul-Fitr Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"... Eid End of Ramadan |
all states and territories |
| Eid al-Adha Bakr-Eid Feast of the Sacrifice |
all states and territories |
Jain holidays
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Mahavir Jayanti Mahavir Jayanti In Jainism, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak is the most important religious holiday. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. On the Gregorian calendar, the holiday occurs either in March or April.... |
Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
Parsee (Zoroastrian) holidays
Note: The Parsis in India use a Shahenshahi calendar, unlike the IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ians who use a Kadmi calendar. The North Americans and European Parsi
Parsi
Parsi or Parsee refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community....
s have adapted their own version of the Fasli
Fasli
Phasli or Fasli is an abandoned Turkish Cypriot village in the Paphos District of Cyprus, located 2 km south of Androlikou....
calendar. This is however looked down upon by a lot of the Parsis in North America, who continue to use the Shahenshai calendar. These differences cause changes in the dates of the holidays. For example, the Zoroastrian New Year
Nowruz
Nowrūz is the name of the Iranian New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year....
falls in the spring for the Iranians but in the summer for the Parsis
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Nowruz Nowruz Nowrūz is the name of the Iranian New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year.... (Parsee New Year) |
Maharashtra |
Sikh holidays
| Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|
| Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab | Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab |
| Ravidas' Birthday | Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab |
| Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Guru Arjan Dev Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in... |
Punjab |
| Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab | Andaman & Nicobar, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal |
Secular holidays
In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays populate the calendar, as well as observances proclaimed by officials and lighter celebrations. These are rarely observed by Central government and businesses as holidays.| Date | Holiday | Observed in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Most of India |
| 23 January | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Birthday | Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal |
| 19 February | Maharaja Shivaji's Birthday | Maharashtra |
| 15 March | Kanshi Ram's Birthday Kanshi Ram Kanshi Ram was an Indian politician. He founded the Bahujan Samaj Party , a political party with the stated goal of serving the traditionally lower castes of Indian society . He transferred the BSP's leadership to Mayawati... |
Uttar Pradesh |
| 22 March | Bihar Day Bihar Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India.... |
Bihar |
| 30 March | Rajasthan Day Rajasthan Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with... |
Rajasthan |
| 1 April | Utkal Dibasa (Orissa day) |
Orissa |
| 14 April | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Birthday Ambedkar Jayanti Ambedkar Jayanti is a festival observed on April 14 every year to commemorate the memory of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. This day is celebrated as birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar who born on this day in the year 1891. It is a public holiday in many of the Indian states.... |
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| 2nd Day of Chaitra Chaitra Chaitra is a month of the Hindu calendar.... , March–April |
Cheti Chand Cheti Chand Cheti Chand is celebrated as New Year's Day by Sindhis,According to the Hindu calendar, Cheti Chand is celebrated on the second day of the Chaitra month known as Chet in Sindhi. Hence it is known as CHET-I-CHAND. It is the second day of month chaitra Cheti Chand is celebrated as New Year's Day by... (Sindhi New Year) |
Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh |
| 1st Day of Chaitra Chaitra Chaitra is a month of the Hindu calendar.... , March–April |
Gudi Padva (Marathi New Year) |
Goa, Maharashtra |
| 1st Day of Chaitra Chaitra Chaitra is a month of the Hindu calendar.... , March–April |
Ugadi Ugadi Yugadi or Ugadi or "Samvatsradi" , Konkani/Marathi: युगादी yugādi, , formed by sandhi of yuga "age" and ādi "beginning": the beginning of an age) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar... (Kannada and Telugu New Year) |
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu |
| 15 April | Bihu Bihu Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese diaspora around the world. Though they owe their origins to ancient rites and practices they have taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized milieus in... (Assamese New Year) |
Assam |
| 15 April | Maha Vishuva Sankranti Vishuva Sankranti Pana Sankranti or Maha Vishuva Sankranti , also known as Mesha Sankranti and Pana Sankranti, is celebrated as the Oriya New Year. The day marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Hindu Solar Calendar. On this day the sun enters the sidereal Aries or Mesha rashi. It generally falls on... / Pana Sankranti Vishuva Sankranti Pana Sankranti or Maha Vishuva Sankranti , also known as Mesha Sankranti and Pana Sankranti, is celebrated as the Oriya New Year. The day marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Hindu Solar Calendar. On this day the sun enters the sidereal Aries or Mesha rashi. It generally falls on... (Oriya New Year) |
Orissa |
| 15 April | Poylá Boishakh (Bengali New Year) |
Tripura, West Bengal |
| 15 April | Vishu Vishu Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, usually on April 14 of the Gregorian calendar. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit into the Mesha Raasi , according to Indian astrological calculations, and represents the vernal equinox... & Varusha Purapu (Malayali & Tamil New Year) |
Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal, Orissa |
| 1 May | Maharashtra Day Maharashtra Day Maharashtra Day on May 1 is celebrated in Maharashtra, a state on western coast of India. Maharashtra attained statehood on 1st of May, 1960 when the then state Bombay state was divided into two states, Maharashtra and Gujarat on the basis of different languages, Marathi and Gujarati, under the... |
Maharashtra |
| 1 May | Gujarat Day | Gujarat |
| 16 May | Annexation Day | Sikkim |
| 15 June | Maharana Pratap Jayanti | Rajasthan |
| 26 October | Accession Day Accession Day (Jammu and Kashmir) Accession Day is a holiday in India's northernmost state, Jammu and Kashmir, commemorating 26 October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed of the Instrument of Accession, in which Jammu and Kashmir joined the Dominion of India. Festivities of the day include holding rallies, bursting of... |
Jammu and Kashmir |
| 1 November | Andhra Pradesh Foundation Day | Andhra Pradesh |
| |Karnataka Foundation Day | Karnataka | |
| |Kerala Foundation Day Kerala Piravi Kerala Piravi marks the birth of the state of Kerala. The state of Kerala was created on November 1, 1956. November 1 is therefore known as Kerala Piravi Dinam in the state... |
Kerala | |
| |Chhattisgarh Foundation Day | Chhattisgarh | |
| 5 November | Kanaka Jayanti Kanaka Dasa Kanaka Dasa was a great poet, philosopher, musician and composer from Karnataka. He is known for his Kirtanes and Ugabhoga compositions in the Kannada language for Carnatic music... |
Karnataka |
Issues with large number of holidays
While having so many Government Holidays keep in line with the idea of peaceful co-existence of all religions, there have been demands from various public bodies that the system of a multitude of religious holidays is hampering economic activities to a great extent. The past two Central Govt. Pay Commissions [1] have recommended the abolition of all Central Govt. Holidays on religious festivals, and instead, substitute with three national Holidays, i.e., Independence Day (15 August), Republic Day (26 January) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October).It was also recommended to increase the amount of existing Restricted Holidays (Optional Holidays) depending on one's religious persuasion from existing two to eight. The rationale being, 8 holidays can more than cater for the festivals of any particular religion. So there is no point in having more than these many number of holidays, since religion does not warrant a Hindu to celebrate Id or a Muslim to celebrate Diwali.
With the proposed system, however, it was left to the individual to chose which 8 Holidays to celebrate, irrespective of his religious belief. However, this recommendation has not been accepted by the Govt. of India, fearing a loss of popularity, and thus Indian Govt. continues with an unusually large number of religious holidays as compared to most other countries.
Holidays in government offices
Central & State governments in India annually issue list of holidays to be observed in respective government offices during the respective year. List is divided into two parts:- Gazetted holidays (Annexure I)
- Restricted holidays (Annexure II)
Apart from this local administration at district level also issue list of additional holidays known as local holidays, which are observed at district level.
Central government
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) on behalf of Government of IndiaGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
issues list of holidays to be observed in central government offices during the respective year. The list is divided in two parts i.e Annexure I & Annexure II.
Annexure I
Annexure I also known as Gazetted holidays, consists of list of holidays which are mandatory once decided. This list consists of two parts:- Para 2
- Para 3.1
Para 2
It consists of holidays which have to be observed compulsorily across India. These holidays are:
- Republic Day,
- Independence Day,
- Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday,
- Budha Purnima
- Christmas Day
- Dussehra (Vijay Dashmi)
- Diwali (Deepavali)
- Good Friday
- Guru Nanak's Birthday
- Eid ul-Fitr
- Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
- Mahavir Jayanti
- Muharram
- Prophet Mohammad's Birthday (Id-e-Milad)
Para 3.1
In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays are decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals (if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State). The final list is applicable uniformly to all Central Government offices within the concerned State shall. they are notified after seeking prior approval of this Ministry and no change can be carried out thereafter. No change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates.
- An additional day for Dussehra
- Holi
- Janamashtami (Vaishanvi)
- Ram Navami
- Maha Shivratri
- Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayak Chaturthi
- Makar Sankrantili
- Rath Yatra
- Onam
- Sri Panchami / Basanta Panchami
- Vishu / Vaisakhi / Vaisakhadi / Bhag Bihu / Mashadi Ugadi / Chaitra Sakladi / Cheti Chand / Gudi Pada 1st Navratra / Nauraj
Annexure II
Annexure II also known as Restricted holidays, consists of list of holidays which are optional. Each employee is allowed to avail any two holidays to be chosen out of the list of Restricted Holidays. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals draw up separate list of Restricted Holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance but the 9 occasions left over, after choosing the 3 variable holidays in para 3.1, are to be included in the list of restricted holidays.Central government organisations
Central Government Organisations which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments observe up to 16 holidays in a year including three national holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays / occasions may be determined by such establishments / organisations themselves, subject to para 3.2.Union territory administrations
Union Territory Administrations decide the list of holidays in terms of Ministry of Home Affairs letter No.14046/27 /83- GP-I dated 15 February 1984 by which they observe a total of 16 holidays including the three National Holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day & Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.Indian missions abroad
In respect of Indian Missions abroad, the number of holidays are notified in accordance with the instructions contained in Department of Personnel and Training's O.M. No.12/5/2002-JCA dated 17 December 2002. In other words, they have the option to select 11(Eleven) holidays of their own only after including in the list, three National Holidays and Milad-Un-Nabi or Id-E-Milad, Mahavir Jayanti, Idu'l Fitr, Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), Guru Nanak's Birthday, Christmas Day included in the list of compulsory holidays and falling on days of weekly off.Banks
In respect of Banks, the holidays are restricted to 15 days in a year in terms of the instructions issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (BankingDivision).- Bank's Holiday
- Gandhi Jayanti
- Maharaja Agresen Jayanti
- Kashiram Death Anniversary
- Dussehra (Maha Navami)
- Dussehra (Vijay Dashami)
- Deepawali
- Deepawali (Govardhan Puja)
- Bhai Duj/Chitragupt Jayanti
- Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
- Guru Nanak's birthday/Kartik Poornima
- Dr. B R. Ambedkar's Nirwan Diwas
- Moharram
- Christmas
Restricted holidays
- New Year's Day
- Guru Gobind Singh Ji JayantiGuru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
- Makar Sankaranti
- Basanta Panchami
- Guru Ravidas Jayanti
- ChehalalumArba'eenArba'een or Chelom , is one of the largest pilgrimage gatherings on Earth, in which over 10 million people go to the city of Karbala in Iraq. As it is known by Persian-speaking and Urdu-speaking Muslims in Central and South Asia, Arba'een is a Shia Muslim religious observation that occurs 40 days...
- HoliHoliHoli , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...
- Istar Satur-day
- Istar Mon-day
- Baishakhi
- Janmashtami
- Vishwakarma Pooja
- Eid ul fitr
- Anant chaturdasi
- Dussehra (Maha Ashtami)
- Maharshi Balmiki Jayanti
- Deepawali (Narak Chaturdasi)
- Eid ul Adha (bakrid)
- Guru Teg Bahadur Shahid DiwasGuru Teg BahadurGuru Tegh Bahadur became the 9th Guru of Sikhi on 20 March 1665, following in the footsteps of his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi....
- Moharram
- Christmas Eve