Holiday Calendar 2026: The 2026 holiday calendar lists all major festivals, national public holidays and religious observances, helping people across India plan holidays, family events or time off with clarity.
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Holiday Calendar 2026: The central government has issued its 2026 holiday schedule, including a set of mandatory (gazetted) holidays and a larger group of optional / restricted holidays. These are the fixed holidays when government offices, many banks, and public institutions will remain closed across India:
- Republic Day- Monday, 26 January 2026
- Independence Day- Saturday, 15 August 2026
- Gandhi Jayanti- Friday, 2 October 2026
- Christmas- Friday, 25 December 2026
In addition, various other important festivals and religious holidays are included in the gazetted list, more on those below.
Beyond the fixed list, there is a long list of optional holidays. Employees (especially in central offices) can often choose a couple from them, giving flexibility for regional or religious observances.
This covers many festivals, regional observances and cultural events, catering to India’s diversity.
MAJOR FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS IN 2026
Here are some of the key festival-dates already fixed for 2026, useful for planning travel, celebrations or family time.
- Holi: Wednesday, 4 March 2026
- Ram Navami: Thursday, 26 March 2026
- Mahavir Jayanti: Tuesday, 31 March 2026
- Good Friday: Friday, 3 April 2026
- Buddha Purnima: Friday, 1 May 2026
- Dussehra (Vijayadashami): Tuesday, 20 October 2026
- Diwali (Deepavali): Sunday, 8 November 2026
- Guru Nanak Jayanti: Tuesday, 24 November 2026
Plus, many more festivals will be on the restricted-holiday list, depending on local custom or personal choice.
THIS MEANS PLANNING, PARTIES AND LONG WEEKENDS
Better planning for travel, holidays, events
With so many dates fixed well in advance, you can plan vacations, trips or family events around long weekends or festival holidays.
Family gatherings, weddings, celebrations
Knowing when major holidays or festivals fall helps you schedule weddings, get-togethers or family meet-ups without unexpected clashes.
Work leave, banking, official work planning
Since government offices, banks and many institutions follow these gazetted holidays, you’ll know when they’ll be closed, useful for document work, financial tasks or appointments.
FESTIVALS WITH FLEXIBILITY
- Optional holidays let people observe regional or religious occasions important to them — even if they aren’t national holidays. This flexibility reflects India’s diversity.
- Some festivals, especially Islamic ones like Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram or Milad-un-Nabi, depend on moon sighting, so dates could shift depending on local announcements.
- In many states or union territories, there might be additional regional holidays beyond the central list. So local/state-level calendars should also be checked.
- 2026’s holiday calendar gives plenty to look forward to, from national festivals to community celebrations and optional observances.
- Planning early, checking local announcements, and accounting for optional holidays can help you make the most of these days whether you want rest, travel, family time or festival celebrations.
